Kashmiri youth detained for Delhi terror threat calls

The Jammu and Kashmir police today claimed to have made a breakthrough in the Delhi terror threat case with the detention of a suspected LeT operative hailing from Srinagar.

Umar Zargar, the Kashmiri youth, made the telephone calls at the behest of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba warning that blasts will be carried out in crowded markets of Delhi, police said.

Highly-placed sources in the Jammu and Kashmir home department said that the man was detained in the wee hours
after a massive manhunt was launched to nab him.
 
Last week, the security agencies had monitored his activities including his conversation with one "Furqan", suspected to be a LeT operative across the border. 

Zargar had claimed that terror groups had entered India through Bangladesh and Nepal to carry out blasts in the national capital.

He is alleged to have been roped in by the LeT for making frivolous calls to create panic among the people, the sources said.

Intelligence inputs in recent weeks have warned of possible terror strikes in the national capital. 

The US has also issued a fresh advisory warning of "imminent" terror attacks in New Delhi, particularly in busy market places like Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and Chandni Chowk, which are "attractive targets" for terrorist groups. Britain and Australia also issued travel alerts.

Delhi Police went on high alert increasing its presence at all important places in the national capital, especially the markets. Sniffer dogs were pressed into service and security cameras were also added in these markets which saw fewer shoppers on Sunday than the usual numbers.

Intercepted phone calls and e-mails suggested that an attack was imminent, the sources said. 

Zargar was said to be in touch with a person in Delhi whose identity is being ascertained, the sources said. 

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit asked the people not to panic. "You cannot put Delhi at a standstill," she told a television channel.