[LeT spokesman Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi termed the attack a “highly
reprehensible act”. He said, “Islam does not allow violence against any
faith. We strongly condemn such acts.”
Reacting to the police claim, Ghaznavi said Kashmiris have never targeted
any pilgrim. “This barbarity and atrocity is the trademark of Indian
forces,” he alleged. He said, “India wants to sabotage the freedom struggle
of Kashmiris. Therefore, it uses such attacks to fulfil its nefarious
agenda. At times, India uses Hindus of Uttar Pradesh to hide its terror
face, and when it fails, they use false flag attacks against Amarnath
Yatris.”
("The first casualty when war comes is truth."
A rather popular, and prescient, quote, dating back to 1918.)]
http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/110717/let-refuses-amarnath-attacks-responsibility-blames-indian-intelligence.html?utm_source=Daksham.com&utm_medium=Push&utm_campaign=push-notifications
LeT denies Amarnath attack charge; blames Indian intel
THE ASIAN AGE. | YUSUF JAMEEL Published : Jul 11, 2017, 2:15 pm IST Updated
: Jul 11, 2017, 3:20 pm IST
The LeT strongly denied the charge and sought to blame the killings on
Indian intelligence agencies.
A paramilitary security personnel keeping vigil as a convoy of Amaranth
pilgrims leave for Kashmir on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday. The
security has been beefed up along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in
the wake of the yesterday's militant attack on pilgrims. (Photo: AP)
A paramilitary security personnel keeping vigil as a convoy of Amaranth
pilgrims leave for Kashmir on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday. The
security has been beefed up along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in
the wake of the yesterday's militant attack on pilgrims. (Photo: AP)
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday said there are “credible
inputs” pointing towards the involvement of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in
Monday’s gory attack in which seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and
eleven others injured in southern Anantnag district.
However, the LeT strongly denied the charge and sought to blame the
killings on Indian intelligence agencies.
The incident has been widely condemned across the country. A general strike
is being observed in Jammu region of the State Tuesday to mourn and protest
the wanton killing of innocent pilgrims.
The Internet services have been snapped in the Hindu-dominated region “as a
precautionary measure to prevent misuse of the social media platforms for
spreading rumours”.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday summoned an emergency meeting of
her cabinet to review the security situation across the state in the
backdrop of the terror strike.
She had, while expressing deep shock and anguish over the killings, asked
security forces including the J&K police to “act swiftly and arrest the
perpetrators so that a stern message went out to anti-social elements that
severe and punitive action can be taken against them if they went against
the law”.
She reiterated Amarnath pilgrims were esteemed guests of Kashmir and
“perpetrators of crime have done a death blow to the ethos and culture of
the state”.
LeT spokesman Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi termed the attack a “highly
reprehensible act”. He said, “Islam does not allow violence against any
faith. We strongly condemn such acts.”
Reacting to the police claim, Ghaznavi said Kashmiris have never targeted
any pilgrim. “This barbarity and atrocity is the trademark of Indian
forces,” he alleged. He said, “India wants to sabotage the freedom struggle
of Kashmiris. Therefore, it uses such attacks to fulfil its nefarious
agenda. At times, India uses Hindus of Uttar Pradesh to hide its terror
face, and when it fails, they use false flag attacks against Amarnath
Yatris.”
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Munir Ahmed Khan while speaking
to reporters reiterated the police’s earlier statement that the gunmen had
initially attacked a police bunker at Botengo, 56-km south of Srinagar, and
that the fire was returned, the exchange which did not cause any casualties
though.
He said that soon thereafter, the terrorists targeted a police naka party
at neighbouring Khanabal, the gateway to Anantnag town along the
Jammu-Srinagar highway, and again the fire was returned.
A tourist bus carrying pilgrims mainly from Gujarat which was on way to
winter capital Jammu from Baltal, a base-camp of the Amarnath yatra, was
caught in the crossfire fatally injuring seven people on board. The other
injured are being treated at Srinagar’s 92-Base Army Hospital, the
officials said.
The police said the bus was not part of the Amarnath pilgrim convoy. Such
convoys are provided security cover right from Lakhanpur in Kathua district
of Jammu region to the base-camps of Baltal and Pahalgam and back.
Also as per the ‘Standard Operation Procedure’ vetted by the Shri
Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), no vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims is
allowed to move between the base-camps and Jawahar Tunnel beneath the
Pirpanjal Range which connects the state’s Jammu region with the restive
Kashmir Valley after nightfall.
The police authorities had before the start of the 40-day yatra
categorically stated no vehicle carrying pilgrims would be allowed to cross
the Jawahar Tunnel after 3.30 pm. “This has been done so that the yatris
reach the Baltal base camp in seven hours from the tunnel and they don’t
have to make a night halt midway,” they had said adding “This will ensure
that they don’t travel after nightfall”.
The officials said they were also investigating how the bus carrying
Amarnath pilgrims was moving along the “most vulnerable” stretch of the
Srinagar-Jammu highway after sunset. The attack took place around 8.15 pm.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of devotees on Tuesday left for the cave-shrine
under the security forces’ escort from Jammu.
--
Peace Is Doable
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