How Kabul Gurdwara Attacker Joined ISIS After Meeting Pakistan’s ISI In Dubai

The ISIS or its affiliate in Afghanistan – Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for terror attacks on the Sikh Gurdwara in Kabul, Afghanistan. One of the attackers was an Indian origin man –  Abu Khalid al-Hindi and hailed from Trikaripur town of Kasargod district in Kerala.

The journey of Abu Khalid al-Hindi began seven years ago when he was in Malaysia along with his father engaged in a family business. His father and bother returned to India but al-Hindi travelled to Saudi Arabia for employment. He later went to Dubai and went missing after coming in contact with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, claims Zee News.

As per Zee News referring to the Indian security agencies, Abu Khalid al-Hindi travelled to Afghanistan and Syria to join the ISIS. Six months ago, al-Hindi contacted his mother from Afghanistan.

The ISIS announced its expansion to the Khorasan region in 2015 and has been responsible for over 100 attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan besides severe clashes with the US and Afghan security forces. According to Zee News quoting unnamed Indian security officials, “ISKP was formed comprising of elements patronized by the Pakistan security establishment and was controlled from Pakistan.”

The media report states that the officials hunting Kerala’s ISIS module believe that the terrorist attack on Kabul’s Gurdwara has been carried out with active support of Haqqani and Lashkar-e-Taiba from Pakistan.

Haqqani network has the capacity to launch such an attack inside the high-security zone of Kabul. “In the past, Pakistan’s ISI involvement with such rogue elements by setting them up in the terrorist organizations against various nations is a well-established fact,’’ said another officer to Zee News.

The media reports claim that Islamabad is promoting ISKP and other terror groups as a check on the Taliban. “ISI will use the name of ISKP or unknown outfits to claim responsibility for terror attacks in the country and protect the image of Taliban post their deal with the US,” an officer working with a central security establishment told Zee News.

Terrorists attacked the Gurdwara in the Shor bazaar area on March 25, when 150 people were at the worship, killing at least 28 people. The attack was revenge for Kashmir, the Islamic State (ISIS) said in a  statement on Friday.

Earlier, according to leading Indian media house – HindustanTimes, quoting their sources, the Kabul Gurdwara attack was ordered by Quetta Shura of Taliban at the direction of Pakistan with the larger motive of completely ousting India from Afghanistan.

The HT report says that the entire operation was code-named Blackstar by the Pakistan intelligence, which used the Haqqani network led by Taliban’s deputy commander Sirajuddin Haqqani and elements of LeT.

Inputs from Zee News and Hindustan Times. Story complied By ET Desk