Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI) has a controversial history of assisting terrorists, including the Taliban and al-Qaida. Now, the Times of India is reporting that Pakistan’s ISI has plans to conduct terror attacks on two foreign consulates in India, including the U.S. consulate in Chennai and the Israeli consulate in Bengaluru.
Official sources say that a Sri Lankan national confessed Sunday that Pakistani high commission in Colombo reportedly hired him as part of ISI’s alleged plans to conduct reconnaissance on the two foreign consulates in India.
Sakir Hussain, a suspected ISI operative, reportedly told officials that he was supposed to set up travel papers and safe houses for two men the agency was sending from Maldives to Chennai.
An unnamed Southeast Asian country tipped an Indian central security agency about the possible attack, the Times of India report says. Hussain was placed under surveillance. He was detained after he arrived in Chennai, and has been undergoing interrogation. He reportedly identified a Pakistani official in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as his handler. Hussain said he was tapped for his skills in human trafficking and forgery, including passports.
The story does not explain why the ISI wants to wage the attacks.
But investigators reportedly found pictures of the consulates, including the roads leading up to them. These pictures “were downloaded at a computer within the premises of Pakistan high commission at Colombo and the same had been shared with Sri Lankan authorities,” the Times story said, citing sources.
A Pakistani official in Sri Lanka dismissed the claims.
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