New Delhi, August 31
Following the seizure of a large cache of arms and ammunition and killing of two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants in Nizamuddin Millennium Park , by sleuths from the Delhi Police Special Cell and arrest of three militants from here yesterday and two from Sikandrabad in Uttar Pradesh today, the Delhi Police has claimed to have averted major strike in the Capital.

The arms consignment was meant for Sikandrabad in Bulandshahar, western Uttar Pradesh, to set up a base for planning terrorist attacks in the capital, said police sources.

‘‘The consignment was to be delivered to two Pakistan-trained militants Atiq and Raees by the slain militants Zahoor Ahmed and Habibullah for planning terrorist activities in the capital," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Neeraj Kumar said.

Their plans were averted following the arrests of three persons in Delhi Noor Ahmed, Parvez Ahmed and Farooq Ahmed last night. Their interrogation had led the sleuths to eliminate Zahoor and Habibullah last night in an encounter and to arrest two other militants Atiq (23) and Raees (25) both trained in Pakistan from Quaziwada in Sikandrabad, UP .

‘‘The JeM always planned spectacular targets well in advance and this particular base was to acquire a special set-up on the periphery of Delhi and stay within the striking distance,’’ Mr Kumar said.

A search of the truck (JK-03-0153) last night had revealed the consignment of arms and ammunition, hidden in a fruit box, which the sleuths had seized. The fruit box contained 10 hand grenades, 10 UBGL shells and one UBGL launcher.

Meanwhile in Sikandrabad today 23 detonators, three remote control devices and Rs 85,000 in cash were seized from the arrested terrorists.

The Delhi Police today booked the five arrested militants under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

Mr Kumar said that Atiq and Raees had been identified as brothers of Habibullah, one of the two terrorists killed in an encounter last night at Nizamuddin park.

‘‘We have been receiving information about the possibility of terrorist attacks by JeM in Delhi. Last night’s encounter was the result of keeping tabs on JeM. We had specific information about the J&K truck that it was carrying some explosives and searched for it in Azadpur but had failed. Last night the truck was found on the Qutab Road and the police spotted Noor Ahmed, along with the truck driver and cleaner,’’ he added.

Following this two militants were killed where they came around 11.15 pm in a white Maruti (DL3CN-8749) to collect the consignment of arms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, Noor Ahmed told interrogators that he had earlier come on several occasions to Delhi to deliver arms. He used to stay at different places in Azadpur in rented accommodation. During raids from the hideout, the sleuths had recovered computers, a scanner, printer and a UPS system purchased from Nehru Place. These were to be taken to JeM headquarters for conducting hi-tech operations.

Noor said a person Rashid used to mediate between him and JeM commander Gazi Baba, who was killed in the encounter in Srinagar. A hunt is on to trace Rashid.

Noor added that he had introduced Zahoor Ahmed to Habibullah in Delhi so as to transport the arms consignment to Sikandrabad.

Sleuths also found evidence that one of the arrested militants in Sikandrabad had set up a base on Meera Hyander road in Mumbai. Efforts were also on to trace the truck owner Khurshid Ahmed.

Meanwhile, with the killing of two terrorists and seizure of rocket launchers and grenades from a truck in Sadar Bazaar and recovery of a large number of gelatin sticks from the New Delhi Railway station yesterday, intelligence and security forces officers said that the seizures could well be the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

A lot more may have already been smuggled into the Capital for possible future use. It was this aspect that was giving the law enforcement agencies nightmares as they had reliable reports that the terrorists were under pressure from their mentors to carry out strikes as a run up to the September 11, 2000 anniversary.

According to these officials the objective of the proposed strikes might have been to boost the sagging morale of the militant cadres who have been under persistent pressure from the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The death of Gazi Baba in Srinagar had been a stunning blow to the JeM cadres.

Intelligence assessment was that the recent spurt in attacks in the Kashmir valley, particularly while the Inter-State Council meeting was on, was an indication of the increasing frustration of the terrorist cadres, operating under the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) .

Meanwhile, intelligence and security forces were busy identifying dormant terrorist modules in and around the Capital. Sources said half a dozen such modules might be operating from some of the towns in the adjoining states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. A close liaison was being maintained with the police forces of these states.

Intelligence was also being shared on a day-to-day basis with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir which have for years faced the terrorists and also gathered data about militants and their hideouts.