Pakistan-based terrorist threatens largescale train derailments in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities

NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based terrorist Farhatullah Ghori has released a video on Telegram exhorting his followers to orchestrate largescale train derailments in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country. Imploring his adherents to "target the supply chain to cripple their infrastructure," Ghori has expounded on various methods of "causing disruptions", besides employing firearms.
"Target petrol pipelines, their logistics chain, and the collaborators...disrupt the railway lines, their transport system... These will precipitate chaos," Ghori proclaimed. "The govt is targeting our properties through ED and NIA, but remain steadfast, we will usurp power sooner or later," the terror recruiter currently on the most wanted list of the intelligence establishment said.
The train derailment aspect of his speech has left sleuths alarmed. They are scrutinising some recent incidents, a source said. For instance, on Aug 23 and 24, cement blocks were placed at the same spot to derail a Vande Bharat train.
In the three-minute narration, Ghori also exhorted the mujahideen to initiate an "ishtishadi jung" or a "fidayeen war" and target Hindu leaders and the police. "Experiment with different tactics to ascertain what works... where they are most vulnerable," he said. Intelligence officers corroborated that the video was in circulation for 1-2 weeks.
In March, ISI unveiled Ghori, the suspected mastermind behind several attacks, including the one on Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar in 2002, by getting him to release a video in which he called for war against India.
Ghori has been on the Indian agencies' radar after investigations revealed his involvement in several attacks. Last year, Delhi police's special cell said that an Islamic State-inspired module busted by them was being orchestrated by Ghori, who was impersonating an Islamic State (IS) recruiter. Two weeks ago, the special cell apprehended a man who was part of an "IS-inspired" module. Rizwan Ali was being handled by Ghori, substantiating the assessment that ISI was recruiting Indian university and college students by making them believe they were part of ISIS.
Rizwan was in touch with Ghori, who was using a Telegram ID @rockkman, the probe has revealed.
Ghori hails from Hyderabad. In 2020, the home ministry designated him a terrorist. Undeterred, he persisted operating from Lahore. Intelligence sources suspect Ghori's sudden visibility could be part of an ISI ploy to disrupt communal harmony. "Most high-profile terrorists are under surveillance, and Pakistan has been treading carefully with the Financial Action Task Force sword looming over it. With Ghori now coming to the fore, Pakistan could evade responsibility by claiming that he was an Indian fugitive and denying his presence on its soil," an officer said.