Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 14: The National Investigating Agency (NIA), which has been gearing up to file chargesheet in August 5 terror attack at Narsu, Samroli in Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, has identified seven local Kashmiri militants and five Pakistani terrorists, who had facilitated the attack along with Pakistani militants of Lashkar-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
Official sources told the Excelsior that during the course of investigations and questioning of the seven accused arrested so far in the case, the NIA team has identified half a dozen top local Kashmiri militants, all affiliated with the LeT, who had facilitated the attack with the help of Pakistani militants.
The local Kashmiri militants involved in the attack have been identified as Adil Sher Gujari alias Abu Bakri, a resident of Kakpora, Pulwama, Mazid Zargar alias Talha R/o Kaimoh, Pulwama, Ashiq Hussain Bhat alias Obaida, a resident of Chursoo, Showkat Rather alias Ali, Talib Shah of Kakpora, Fahadullah of Pulwama and Altaf Kachroo of Pulwama.
Of them, Talib Shah and Showkat Rather alias Ali have been killed during recent encounters with security forces while five others were still at large and were being searched by security forces and police.
Of five Pakistani militants involved in the attack, three have been killed, one captured and another one was at large. While Abu Qasim and Talib Shah were killed in Kashmir valley recently, Noman alias Momen was killed on spot in retaliatory firing by the BSF on August 5 at Narsu during attack on their convoy.
Naved was captured alive by the people and is presently in the judicial custody. Abu Dujana, a top LeT militant and part of the conspiracy behind Narsu attack is also at large.
The entire case is being investigated by NIA SSP Atul Goel.
Sources said the NIA has already taken permission from the court for extending the time of presentation of chargesheet in the case from 90 days to 180 days, which was a provision under the law.
“The NIA can file chargesheet in the terror cases within 180 days but it had to seek permission of the Court if the chargesheet was delayed beyond 90 days, a normal period for chargesheets in other cases,” sources said, adding they had already approached the Court, which has granted the permission to the investigating agency.
The NIA has time till February 5 to file the chargesheet in the case before Special Court of the NIA in Jammu but it was planning to file the chargesheet either by the end of this month or start of January.
Sources said 90 per cent work on the chargesheet has been completed.
Meanwhile, police and NIA were searching Fayaz Ashwar alias Setha, a resident of Kulgam, who had driven the militants-Naved and Momen to Narsu from Kulgam in a truck.
He was major missing link in the entire case, sources said, adding raids conducted at several places to nab Ashwar have proved futile. However, efforts continued to nab him, sources said.
It may be mentioned here that Naved and Momen, the two Pakistani militants had attacked a BSF bus in the morning of August 5 at Narsu near Samorli in Udhampur district of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway killing two BSF jawans. In retaliatory firing, the BSF had gunned down Momen while local people had captured Naved and handed him over to police.
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