India’s National Investigating Agency (NIA) has accused a Pakistani diplomat, who was posted in Sri Lanka as a visa counsellor in the Pakistani High Commission in Colombo, of plotting to attack the US and Israeli consulates and installations of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy in southern India.
The NIA has put Amir Zubair Siddique to its list of people wanted for carrying out various acts of terrorism in the South Asian country, seeking assistance from Interpol for information on him.
With the help of crucial inputs provided by intelligence agencies of the United States, NIA has uncovered a conspiracy to launch 26/11-type terror attacks in India, allegedly by Pakistani agents working from Sri Lankan soil, Hindustan Times reported.
Siddiqui has been identified as the chief conspirator along with three other Pakistani officers posted in the High Commission in Colombo.
According to the NIA, Pakistani diplomat Siddiqui had planned terror attacks in various cities of southern India, including attacks at the US consulate in Chennai, the Israeli consulate in Bengaluru and the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters in Visakhapatnam.
To execute his plans Siddiqui hired four Sri Lankan nationals, including Muhammed Sakir Hussaien, Arun Selvaraj, Sivabalan and Thameem Ansari.
The NIA has arrested all the Sri Lankan nationals on the intelligence inputs provided by the US.
The NIA is preparing to send a request to Interpol, seeking red corner notice against Siddiqui, who was repatriated to Islamabad soon after his cover was blown. The NIA has also released his photo, seeking information on his whereabouts.
This is the first time that India has put a Pakistani diplomat’s name on the wanted list or sought a red corner notice against one.
