Indian intelligence officials say they have found strong digital clues that show the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack were connected to safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, both in Pakistan. These locations have been linked to past attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attack.

According to senior officials working on the case, the attack was carried out using a “remote control room” setup, similar to what was used during the 26/11 attacks.

The attack took place on Tuesday in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area. At least 26 Indian tourists, mostly Hindu men, lost their lives. Survivors and investigators said the five attackers were heavily armed. They used automatic rifles like AKs and had modern communication tools. Some of them were also wearing uniforms that looked like those worn by the army.

“Our intelligence intercepts suggest a direct link with operatives based in Pakistan. We have traced the digital footprint to some safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, which have been the key hubs for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s previous major attacks in India that are supervised by Pakistan army and the ISI from control centres,” said one of the officials involved in the investigation.

There were already signs earlier this year that something like this could happen. Another senior official said, “In December last year and January this year, there were alerts that Pakistan army and ISI were actively facilitating infiltration of highly skilled terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad from the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) into India.”

Following these alerts, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) began large-scale search operations across Jammu and Kashmir in February and March. They were looking for both the terrorists who had crossed over and their helpers who lived in India.

Investigators believe the attackers received help from local supporters after they entered the country, making it easier for them to carry out the deadly strike.

 

You might also be interested in - Pahalgam terror attack: 26 tourists killed, sketches released | latest updates