Three hardcore militants of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba have been arrested here, official sources said on Thursday. Faisal alias Salahuddin, Ahtisham Malik and Zahoor Ahmad alias Abu Umer, all residents of Sopore, were arrested on a specific information by the special operations group of local police in Batmaloo area of central Srinagar on Wednesday, the sources said. They said the three militants were active in Sopore and its periphery over the past several years and had shifted to Srinagar after security forces launched a successful drive against militants in the north Kashmir town. The arrest of the trio comes close on the heels of the arrest of three other militants of the LeT from Srinagar and busting of a module in Sopore town earlier this week. Assadullah Parray, Tariq Ahmad Baba alias Kamil and Manzoor Ahamd Dar alias Umer were arrested by the SOG from Srinagar on Monday and claimed to have pre-empted their plan to carry out a major attack in the city. On the same day, police busted a module of LeT in Sopore and arrested six local boys.
Earlier on March 5, police arrested 19-year-old Mohammad Mansoor Manhas alias Abu Umer of Killa-deedar Singh village of Gujranwala (Pakistan) and his six local associates including a woman from Sopore. Manhas had got injured in a gunfight with army at Gund-jehangir village of Sumbal and was fleeing when he along with his associates was arrested by the police party.