Who is Abu Qatal, close aide of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed killed in Pakistan

Lashkar-e-Taiba’s most wanted terrorist, Abu Qatal, was murdered in Pakistan on Saturday night. A key operative of the terror outfit, Qatal had been instrumental in planning and executing multiple attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, making him a prime target for security agencies.

Abu Qatal was a close aide of Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and played a pivotal role in orchestrating terror strikes in India.

Among the most heinous attacks linked to him was the June 9, 2023 assault on a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Shiv Khori temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. The attack, executed under his leadership, left nine people dead, including seven pilgrims, and injured 41 others.

His involvement in terror activities extended beyond Reasi. The Investigation Agency (NIA) had named him in its chargesheet for the deadly 2023 Rajouri attack.

On January 1 that year, terrorists targeted civilians in Rajouri’s Dhangri village, followed by an IED blast the next day, killing seven people, including two children. The attack sent shockwaves across the region, and investigations revealed that Qatal was one of the key masterminds behind the operation.

According to NIA findings, Qatal, along with two other Pakistan-based Lashkar handlers, played a crucial role in recruiting and dispatching terrorists to target civilians, particularly those from the minority community, as well as security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

His influence extended beyond direct attacks, as he was also responsible for forming proxy terror outfits such as the People’s Anti-Fascist Force (PAFF) and The Resistance Force (TRF). These groups were used as fronts for Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, allowing them to claim responsibility for attacks while maintaining a degree of plausible deniability.

Security agencies had been tracking Qatal for years due to his involvement in multiple terror incidents. He, along with fellow Lashkar operatives Sajid Jutt and Qasim, was part of a well-coordinated network that orchestrated attacks on Indian soil.

While both Qatal and Jutt were Pakistani nationals, Qasim had crossed into Pakistan in 2002 and later joined LeT. The trio played a critical role in the infiltration and deployment of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, following orders from their handlers across the border.

The killing of Abu Qatal is seen as a significant setback for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s operational structure. His elimination is expected to disrupt the terror outfit’s chain of command and weaken its ability to plan future attacks.