2 arrested for Hyderpora militant attack

Two persons were today arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and providing logistic support to Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, who had carried out an audacious attack on an Army convoy on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the Kashmir Valley in June.
The June 24 attack had left eight soldiers dead and 16 others injured.
"Naveed-ul-Islam of Mouchwa and Bilal Ahmad Lone of Channapora were arrested for criminal conspiracy and providing logistic support to Lashker-e-Toiba (LET) militants who carried out the attack on June 24," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, A G Mir told reporters here.
He also identified the LET militants who attacked the Army convoy as Irshad Ahmad Ganai alias "Abu Abdullah", a resident of Awantipora, and his Pakistani associate Abu Hamza alias "Zeeshan".

"The attack was masterminded by Divisional Commander of LeT, Qasim, on the directions of outfit's Pakistan-occupied Kashmir based commanders Hanzullah Adnan and Ahmad Bhai," he said.
A group of 10 LeT militants had come from north Kashmir's Sopore area to south Kashmir, which included the militants who carried out the attack on the Army convoy here, a day ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's arrival.

"The militants were taken to the spot in a car owned by Lone who along with Islam accompanied the two militants," he said.
He said investigations revealed that there are other people who provided logistic support to the attackers.

"They have been identified and we will get them soon," Mir said. "Efforts are also on to track down the militants.