On Thursday, February 2, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba-terrorist Arif Ahmed Ahmed and recovered a perfume bottle bomb from him. The terrorist, who was teaching in a government school, is a resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
Arif was working at the behest of his Pakistani handlers, the police informed, adding that this type of bomb has been found for the first time in the valley.
According to reports, the arrest was made while the police were investigating the twin blasts that rocked the Narwal area of Jammu in which nine people were injured on January 21.
Speaking about the arrest, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh told the media, “This is the first time we have recovered a perfume IED. We have not recovered any perfume IED before. The IED will blast if anyone tries to press or open it. Our special team will handle that IED.”
This is the first time we have recovered a perfume IED. We have not recovered any perfume IED before. The IED will blast if anyone tries to press or open it. Our special team will handle that IED: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh pic.twitter.com/bNerYGDcVa
— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2023
“Arif had links with the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. A perfume bottle that had been converted into an improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered from him,” he added.
“The accused got the supply of three IEDs towards the end of December. He used two IEDs in the Marwal area. He is working under the influence of Qasim, a Lashkar-E-Taiba terrorist operating from Pakistan. He is responsible for recent terror activities in the area,” Singh further added.
The police also confirmed that Arif had admitted to his role in the attack on a bus carrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims in which four people were killed in May last year.
Giving further details about Arif’s alleged link with the twin blasts that rocked the Narwal area of Jammu in which nine people were injured on January 21, Dilbag Singh was quoted by ANI as saying, “Two bombs were planted on 20th Jan. Two blasts occurred on 21st Jan at a gap of 20 minutes to kill as many people as possible. 9 people were injured after the first IED blast. Police have arrested one terrorist Arif, who was in contact with Pakistan handlers for 3 years.”
Two bombs were planted on 20th Jan. Two blasts occurred on 21st Jan at a gap of 20 minutes to kill as many people as possible. 9 people were injured after first IED blast. Police have arrested one terrorist Arif, who was in contact with Pakistan handlers for 3 years: J&K DGP pic.twitter.com/J58wzC3OJj
— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2023
“Pakistan is infamous for propagating terrorism from its land and for killing hundreds of innocent people across the world. Jammu and Kashmir is on target for some time. They (Pakistan) want to create a communal divide among the people in Jammu and Kashmir,” the DGP added.
Dilbag Singh further spoke about Arif’s role in last year’s Katra bus fire incident that killed four people and injured 24 others. “The Katra bus fire that occurred in May last year was also an act of terror in which Arif was involved. Two sticky IEDs were planted near the oil tank of the bus for maximum damage,” said the DGP.
Arif’s maternal uncle Kamar Din is based in Pakistan, where he met a LeT terrorist named Qasim, who is also from Reasi but now lives in Pakistan.
Arif was also responsible for another bombing in Jammu’s Shastri Nagar in February of last year.
Arif burned his clothes and shoes shortly after planting IEDs in Narwal, and he also damaged the mobile phone he brought with him, the DGP revealed.
