Chief commander of Harkat-ul-Jihad Islamia (HuJI) and the mastermind behind the serial blasts in UP courts in November 2007, Bashir Ahmed Aigazi alias Saba, was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces at Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in Jammu region on Thursday night. This was confirmed by Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, S P Vaid.Sources said the J-K Police had been tracking him for the past one month, after his name surfaced during the interrogation of a militant, Sajjad, who was arrested in connection with the serial blasts in UP. Ahmed’s role was also being investigated in connection with the Hyderabad twin blasts.Sources added that Ahmed had threatened to eliminate Additional Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, and Army Commander of 9 Sector, based in Kishtwar. A tip-off regarding his presence in the area was received by the Special Operation Group of Kishtwar Police. A joint operation was undertaken by 11 Rashtriya Rifles (DOGRA), under the aegis of 9 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Delta Force and the SOG of Kishtwar.A resident of Kishtwar, Ahmed was among the most wanted militants in the Valley, who had managed to evade authorities for decades, Vaid said.Ahmed joined Harkat-ul-Ansar in 1992 and received training in PoK before moving to Afghanistan. He was made in-charge of militant training from 1995 till 1998 at a camp in PoK. He was arrested by police from Karpan in 2000, but was released in 2002. Soon after his release, he joined HuJI.
