Armed Lashkar-e Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali was arrested on July 25 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bahadur Ali, a 21-year-old Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist arrested in Jammu and Kashmir last month, has said he wants to meet his family. His request has been conveyed by the National Investigation Agency or NIA to Pakistan through the Ministry of External Affairs. Pakistan, however, is yet to respond.
"We are willing to give counselor access," a top NIA official told NDTV.
Ali was trained by the Lashkar and Pakistani forces to instigate trouble in violence-hit Kashmir, investigators had said on Wednesday, showing an eight-minute video of his confession. Ali and a group of terrorists infiltrated into India in June, the NIA said.
Ali, a thin, bearded man, was arrested by security forces on July 26 from Handwara. The Lahore-born 21-year-old is the son of a former Pakistan police officer and has eight siblings. He has studied till Class 7.
Ali's confession and investigation by the NIA has revealed startling facts. The entire route of infiltration used by Ali and two others had been filmed in advance.
"His handlers in Pakistan used these videos and Google Maps to familiarise them with key features in infiltration route," a senior NIA official told NDTV.
Besides filming the key features in the route, other Lashkar supporters helped them with food and at times shelter. "The LeT control room - code named Alpha-3 - frequently directed them to people for food and help, it indicates a substantial overground network of the LeT in the valley," the officer said and added that the NIA is closely looking at these overground workers.
Ali and two other trekked for seven days after being launched from Mandakuli in Pakistan and reached Waddar village - deep inside the valley - evading a multi-layered counter-infiltration grid of the Army and local police. "In the last of their training they were given extensive briefings of the key crossing points in India, location of security forces so that they could be avoided," the officers said.
Ali has been sent to NIA custody till August 17.