#PakTerrorFunding: Pak drone power bolstered; Jammu blast to alter realities?

On early hours of Sunday, two blasts took place at the high security Air Force base in Jammu Airport located around 14 km from the border with Pakistan. It is believed to be the first use of drones in a terror attack on an Indian military facility. Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel suffered minor injuries in the explosions. One of the blasts caused damage to the roof of a building in the technical section while another bomb exploded in an open area.

“The attack at the IAF station in Jammu is a terror attack,” said Jammu and Kashmir police Chief Dilbag Singh. Also investigations conducted by teams from the IAF, the National Bomb Data Centre, forensic experts and the Jammu and Kashmir police has revealed the role of Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group in the drone strike at Jammu air base. The drone attack is linked with the recovery of a 6 kilogram IED (Improvised Explosive Device) by Jammu police from a LeT operative leading to detention of at least three terror suspects by J&K Police.

An FIR has been registered under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that allows the arrest of suspects and their detention for up to six months without evidence. The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe. An important observation made by sources is that the blasts took place hours before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General MM Naravane began a three-day visit to Ladakh to review India’s operational readiness and to interact with troops in the backdrop of a drawn-out standoff with China. Moreover, political context is importance as the blasts happened days after the possibility of resumption of political processes in the region made headlines.