Police in Jammu and Kashmir Monday claimed to have busted a sleeper cell of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit operating from central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
A spokesman said that the module planned to carry out IED blasts in the valley, especially Srinagar city.
The cell, he said, “was functioning illegally under the command of self-styled commander Mohammad Shaheen Baba @ Zaid-bin Tariq son of Ghulam Qadir Baba resident of H. NO. 65 Chadoora, Budgam”.
One Chinese pistol with Magazine, 25 live rounds, incriminating documents and a mobile phone was recovered from the cell members, the spokesman added.
According to the spokesman, Baba was working in the UK as a physiotherapist and was residing in London since 2006.
He was married to an American National of Pakistani origin.
“He visited Pakistan, where he got in touch with HM Commanders and on their directions established the sleeper cell.
“The other members of the group have been identified as Mudasir Ahmad Baba @ Auranzaib, Basharat Hussain Baba, Uqab Ahmad Wazir and Manzoor Ahmad,” he said.
It needs to be mentioned that Baba was arrested along with his family members on way to Srinagar airport yesterday afternoon.
He is a resident of Chadoora village in Budgam district.