All about Jaish-e-Mohammed, the terror outfit that has claimed attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama

Jaish-e-Mohammed is accused of carrying out several terror attacks in India, primarily in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, including 2001 Parliament attacks, Pathankot airbase attack and Uri attack in 2016.

Representational Image/ Courtesy: AFP

New Delhi: In what is being said to be the most dreaded terror attack in Kashmir after the 2016 Uri attacks, a CRPF convoy became target of a major terror plot in Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday noon. Terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed the responsibility of the attack and has said that it was a ‘fidayeen’ attack. The attack took place when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in. Police identified the terrorist as Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama. He joined the Jaish-Mohammed in 2018, they said. The Pakistan backed outfit claimed responsibility for attack, in a text message to Kashmiri News Agency GNS, ANI said. Here are the important points to know about the terror outfit that led the brutal attack:

• Jaish-e-Mohammed is a Jihadist group which has carried out several terror attacks in India, primarily in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Pakistan-backed outfit is reportedly very closely associated with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, as well.
• Though Pakistan formally banned the group in 2002, it has reportedly resurfaced under other names and continues to openly operate several facilities in the country.
• The JeM is accused of concluding many attacks in India. It was JeM in coordination with LeT, which had carried out the 2001 Indian Parliament attack in New Delhi.
• The group was suspected to be behind the Pathankot attacks in January 2016, where it launched an attack on the air base killing seven security personnel.  The attacks took place just a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, and were followed by an attack on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan.
• The group is also held responsible for the severest terror attack, at India’s army base in Uri in September 2016. Pakistan backed terrorists had attacked the army base in Uri, close to the Line of Control. The attack resulted in the death of 19 soldiers, described as the deadliest attack in over two decades.
• As per several media reports, the group had also planned abduction of the Congress president Rahul Gandhi back in the year 2007 during UPA regime, in lieu of 42 militant imprisoned in India. The plan was reportedly foiled by the intelligence of India.