Meanwhile, the Pakistan-based terrorist Farhatullah Ghori released a video on Telegram asking his followers to plan major train derailments at Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities. Among other things, Ghori said, “Target the supply chain to cripple their infrastructure.” He elaborated on different ways of “creating disruptions” other than using guns. He told his supporters, “Target petrol pipelines, their logistics chain, and the collaborators. disrupt the railway lines, their transport system. These will create chaos.”
Ghori, who figures in the most-wanted list of the intelligence establishment, said, “The govt is targeting our properties through ED and NIA, but remain steadfast, we will usurp power sooner or later.” This part of his threat has sent alarm bells ringing among the agencies which are probing recent incidents like placing of cement blocks to derail a Vande Bharat train on August 23 and 24.
Ghori also called upon an “ishtishadi jung” or a “fidayeen war” against the Hindu leaders and police in his three-minute video and advised trying out different tactics to find weaknesses. According to Intelligence officers, this video has been in circulation for the last 1-2 weeks.
Ghori, alleged mastermind of at least half a dozen attacks such as the 2002 Akshardham temple attack, was flagged by the ISI in March this year in a video that incited war against India. Indian agencies had been on the lookout for Ghori as he was linked to a spate of terror attacks, including a self-styled Islamic State-inspired module. Recently, its special cell arrested Rizwan Ali, said to be a close aide of Ghori, who operated as an IS recruiter.
Ghori, from Hyderabad, was declared a terrorist by the home ministry in 2020 but continues to be active from Lahore. Intelligence agencies say that Ghori’s recent high profile could be part of the ISI game plan aimed at creating communal disharmony, perhaps a ploy to deflect attention and also to disclaim Pakistan’s role in his games.