Lashkar militant eyes civil services

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander accused of planning an unsuccessful bid on prime minister Manmohan Singh in 2004, has cracked the Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) preliminary test from jail. He is now preparing for the main examination.

Shabir Bukhari alias Abu Sunaima or Siera 7 was the main Lashkar commander overseeing operations in Kashmir before he was arrested in 2005. He is since lodged in the Srinagar Central Jail.

Bukhari is accused of moving fidayeen to Suleiman Teng hills in Dalgate. The terrorists had come to target the PM during his rally at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in 2004. Security forces foiled the attack when they killed both fidayeens in an encounter.

Bukhari is also accused of transporting the fidayeen to Tulsi Bagh where they assassinated former education minister GN Lone in October 2005.

“He had asked permission from court to appear in the exam. The permission was granted few days before the exam date. It is a moment of pride for us that he qualified the prelims,” Bukhari’s brother Fida Hussain said.

It is the second time Bukhari has done something remarkable in the jail. Last year, he completed his LLB degree while in detention.

Bukhari is the second militant to accomplish an academic feat in jail. Another militant, Altaf Ahmad alias Mohammad Qasim, had completed his PhD from jail.