Lashkar terrorist Naveed Jutt, who escaped from captivity, took special ‘Kasab class’

NEW DELHI: Mohammed Naveed Jutt alias Abu Hanzala, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist who escaped from police captivity on Tuesday during Srinagar SMHS hospital attack, had met Mumbai attack convict Ajmal Kasab months before the 26/11 carnage. He had also taken 'Kasab classes' during his training days in Lashkar camp. A special “Kasab class” is part of LeT’s training module for its new recruits during which they are told about the mistakes committed by Ajmal Kasab during the deadly Mumbai terror attack. This is what he had told the police after he was captured from Kulgam in south Kashmir in 2014. Jutt's father was a retired army driver and he, along with his brothers, was part of madrassas which were owned by Jamaat-ud-Dawa. He had also revealed that he had met Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistan terrorist hanged in November 2013 after being sentenced to death for his role in the 2008 Mumbai carnage. Jutt had said that he was part of Borevalla Sahiwala camp of LeT in Multan district of Punjab where he had met Kasab, whose father was a butcher at the same madrassa (religious school). He had told interrogators that Kasab remained reserved during his brief interaction, which came months before the Mumbai attack. During 'Kasab classes', the LeT bosses give a video presentation to the new recruits in which there is a graphic description of his mistakes during “Daura-e-Sufa” (training cadre for religious indoctrination). Among the mistakes which are pointed out by LeT in presentations was the inability of Kasab and his team to destroy the boat that carried them to the Mumbai coast, speaking on satellite phones with real identities, inability to take any hostages and getting arrested. 22-year-old Jutt, a school dropout from Borevella district of Multan in the Pakistan Punjab, is believed to be involved in multiple attacks. These include an attack on the Army in Hyderpora in the city, an attack on the Silver Star hotel along the national highway outside Srinagar and three attacks on police and CRPF camps in south Kashmir. He is also alleged to have been involved in an attack on army camp in June 2013 and in attacks on police patrol parties in Tral, Shopian, Kulgam — all in South Kashmir. Jutt had entered Kashmir through Keran in North Kashmir in October 2012. He shifted to South Kashmir after spending the winter of 2013 in the Dachigam forest along with 21 terrorists of LeT.