Pakistan's ISI, LeT sent hand grenades for 'lone wolf' attack in Hyderabad: NIA

Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and outlawed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had made hand grenades available to their sympathisers and conspired with them to carry out "lone wolf" attacks and blasts in Hyderabad City, the First Information Report (FIR) of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) revealed.

The FIR, registered on January 25, against three Hyderabad residents also pointed out that the accused persons booked by the Central agency were instructed to hurl hand grandes at public gatherings and processions in order to create communal tension.

The Pakistan-based handlers had given the task to one Abdul Zahed alias Zahed alias Mohammad, who was accused in several terror-related cases in Hyderabad, the FIR mentioned informing that Zahed had recruited several youths namely Maaz, Samiuddin and others on the directions the ISI and LeT.

Besides Zahed, the NIA also booked Maaz Hasan Farooq and Samiuddin for conspiring terror attacks in Hyderabad in October 2022, who have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

As per the FIR, Zahed on the instructions of his Pakistani handlers, conspired with his gang members to carry out terror acts including blasts and lone-wolf attacks in Hyderabad City to create terror in the minds of the common people.

"It was also learnt that Zahed had received hand grenades from Pakistan-based handlers and was planning to hurl at public gatherings and processions in order to create communal tension," the FIR stated.

The Hyderabad Police had registered a case on October 1, 2022 under the charges of UAPA after it seized two hand grenades, two mobile phones and Rs 3,91, 800 from the premises of Zahed.

Considering the gravity of the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs' Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation Division handed over the case to the NIA as the case had inter-state and international linkages.