New Delhi, Feb 28 In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency on Friday nabbed Shakir Bashir Magrey, who provided shelter to the alleged Pulwama attack suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar.
Magrey (22), a resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, is an "Over Ground Worker" of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and allegedly provided shelter and other logistical assistance to the Pulwama attack suicide bomber, sources said.
He was produced before a Special NIA court in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and remanded in 15 days of NIA custody.
During interrogation, Magrey revealed that he had harboured Adil Ahmad Dar and Pakistan-based Mohammad Umar Farooq in his house from late 2018 till the attack in February 2019 and assisted them in the preparation of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
His shop is located near Lethpora bridge, and as advised by Mohammad Umar, he started conducting reconnaissance of the movement of CRPF convoys on Jammu-Srinagar Highway in January 2019, and informed Mohammad Umar and Adil Ahmad Dar about it, sources said.
He was also involved in modifying the Maruti Eeco car and fitting the IED in it in early February, 2019.
He was introduced to Adil Ahmad Dar in mid-2018 by a Pakistan-based terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq and he became a full-time OGW of JeM. During his initial interrogation, he disclosed that on several occasions, he collected and delivered arms, ammunition, cash and explosive material to the JeM terrorists, including those involved in Pulwama attack.
"During investigation, the make, model and number of the car used in the attack was quickly ascertained by NIA to be a Maruti Eeco car through forensic examination of the tiny remnants of the car, which were seized from the spot during extended searches," NIA said in a statement.
"This has been corroborated by accused Shakir Bashir Magrey. The explosives used in the attack were determined to be ammonium nitrate, nitro-glycerin and RDX through forensic investigation," the statement added.
"The investigation has also confirmed the identity of the suicide bomber as that of Adil Ahmad Dar through DNA match with a sample of his father," the statement said.
( With inputs from IANS )