news details |
|
|
| Silent for 4 years, activated for terror: Phones crack Pahalgam terror attack conspiracy | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 1: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered fresh evidence suggesting that the deadly Pahalgam terror attack was not an isolated act of violence but part of a carefully planned conspiracy allegedly hatched years in advance, with links extending to Pakistan. The investigation has revealed that one of the mobile phones recovered from terrorists involved in the attack was part of a consignment imported into Pakistan in 2021 and remained unused for nearly four years before being activated shortly before the strike. Investigators believe the findings point to a well-organized support network that provided logistical and technical assistance to the attackers. The April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead—most of them tourists—triggered a sharp deterioration in relations between India and Pakistan. New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for the attack, while Islamabad denied any involvement. According to officials familiar with the probe, the focus of the investigation has now expanded beyond the terrorists who carried out the attack to include the wider network that allegedly facilitated their operations. A major breakthrough came during Operation Mahadev, in which security forces eliminated three terrorists—Suleman Shah, Habib Tahir, and Hamza Afghani—in the Dachigam area near Srinagar. Two mobile phones recovered from the slain terrorists have emerged as crucial pieces of evidence in the ongoing investigation. Investigators identified the devices as a Redmi 9T and a Redmi Note 12, both allegedly linked to Pakistan. Using the devices' IMEI numbers, investigators sought supply-chain details from Xiaomi Global. According to the findings, the Redmi 9T was part of a large consignment imported into Pakistan in January 2021 by Karachi-based Tech Sirat Private Limited. Import records reportedly showed that Faysal Bank was associated with financing and logistics related to the consignment, with the bank's headquarters listed as the delivery address. Officials, howeve Two mobile phones recovered from the slain terrorists have emerged as crucial pieces of evidence in the ongoing investigation. Investigators identified the devices as a Redmi 9T and a Redmi Note 12, both allegedly linked to Pakistan. Using the devices’ IMEI numbers, investigators sought supply-chain details from Xiaomi Global. The Redmi 9T was part of a large consignment imported into Pakistan in January 2021 by Karachi-based Tech Sirat Private Limited. Import records reportedly showed that Faysal Bank was associated with financing and logistics related to the consignment, with the bank’s headquarters listed as the delivery address. , cautioned that the appearance of a bank's name in import documents does not by itself indicate wrongdoing, as banks routinely provide trade-finance facilities, including letters of credit, for commercial imports. Investigators nevertheless examined the records closely because the bank's name had surfaced in previous international reports concerning accounts allegedly linked to banned organisations. The bank has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that it complied with all regulatory requirements. The NIA probe found that the Redmi 9T remained inactive from the time it entered Pakistan in 2021 until shortly before the Pahalgam attack in 2025. Investigators reportedly found no evidence of network activity, SIM card usage, calls, or internet access during that period. A similar pattern was observed with the Redmi Note 12, which was imported into Pakistan in 2023 by Lahore-based Air Link Communication Limited. Investigators found that the device also remained unused for an extended period before being activated shortly before the attack. Officials believe the identical usage patterns of the two phones suggest they may have been deliberately stored and later supplied to the same terror module as part of a pre-planned operation. Sources said forensic analysis of the devices did not reveal conventional communication records such as calls, text messages, social media conversations, or internet activity. Investigators suspect the terrorists relied on long-range radio communication systems that do not depend on mobile networks or internet connectivity and can facilitate secure communication over considerable distances. Security agencies are continuing to investigate the larger network behind the attack, including possible cross-border logistical channels, communication methods, and support structures that may have enabled the terrorists to execute the operation. The findings are being viewed as significant evidence that the Pahalgam attack was the result of long-term planning rather than a spontaneous act of terror. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|