Nagrota Terror Attack: NIA Chargesheets Masood Azhar's Brother, 13 Others

The National Investigation Agency or NIA on Tuesday named Pakistan-based UN-designated terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed's deputy chief Abdul Rouf Asgar, the brother of Masood Azhar, and 13 others in its charge-sheet of the 2016 Nagrota terror attack case.

The National Investigation Agency charge-sheet was filed in Jammu.

The NIA revealed that four JeM terrorists -- Mohd Ashiq Baba, Syed Munir-Ul-Hassan Qadri, Tariq Ahmad Dar and Ashraf Hamid Khandey -- had facilitated a group of three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists and transported them from the International Border in Samba-Kathua sector to Hotel Jagdamba in Jammu.

The three were taken to Nagrota by the accused in their vehicles for the attack on the Officers' Mess complex, 166 Medium Regiment of Indian Army in Nagrota Cantonment (near Jammu) on the November 28, 2016.

The four who helped the terrorists were arrested by the NIA later.

The anti-terror agency said three JeM terroists -- identified as Khalid, Numan and Aadil -- were highly trained and equipped with AK-47 rifles and explosives. Seven Army personnel were killed and three suffered injuries in the attack carried out by the Pakistani terrorists.

The terrorists were killed in retaliatory action by the security forces.

Investigation conducted by the NIA revealed that Abdul Rouf Asgar was the mastermind of the attack.

"Asgar worked out the plan of the Fidyeen (suicide) attack and provided training to the three JeM terrorists. He also directed Mufti Asgar, launch commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, to provide training, funds, equipment, mobile phones and other logistics to local JeM recruit Mohd. Ashiq Baba," said the NIA in its charge-sheet.

The NIA said that Ashiq Baba had visited Pakistan many times where he met JeM terrorists Waseem (operational commander), Abu Talha (a commander in Jammu region) and Qari Zarar (launch commander for Jammu region).

He was also taken for a meeting with Mufti Asgar at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or PoK, the NIA said.

"On reaching there, he was received by Abdullah and Tariq Mir, both JeM terrorists who are close associates of Mufti Asgar," the charge-sheet said.

"During the meeting with top leadership of JeM commanders Mufti Asgar chalked out a detailed plan including the modus operandi to be adopted for infiltration of JeM terrorists and he asked Ashiq to activate local JeM network in Jammu and Kashmir for a Jehadi cause."

Ashiq Baba was trained by Jaish-e-Mohammed at Manshera in Pakistan and given money for arranging logistics along with a GPS-enabled Huawei mobile phone for communication with JeM terrorists in Pakistan, the NIA said.

According to the NIA, it has collected evidence on the basis of disclosure of the accused, detailed social media analysis, digital evidence through requests under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and analysis of data extracted from the seized digital devices.

The agency said that further investigation is being carried out.