The investigation into the deadly terror attack near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 12 people and injured several others, has revealed chilling details about a larger terror plot. According to exclusive inputs, arrested Dr Shaheen Saeed was allegedly receiving funding from the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to set up covert training centres in Uttar Pradesh.
Plans for secret ‘mini recruit centres’ in UP
Dr Shaheen was reportedly looking for isolated locations in Saharanpur and Hapur areas slightly outside city limits with low public movement to build a “Mini Recruit Command Centre.” These centres were meant to train women recruits in extremist ideology and basic terror operations. From the outside, however, the facilities would appear to be NGOs or social welfare organisations working for education and healthcare of poor Muslim girls.
Investigators believe Shaheen had contacted several existing NGOs to collaborate, using them as a cover to receive foreign funding. The plan was to launch a foundation claiming to support women’s education and free medical aid, but the money was to be diverted for terror-related activities. This setup would have allowed terror funds to move undetected by financial monitoring agencies. Sources added that Shaheen had been preparing for this project for nearly six months.
Layout of the planned centre
Plans for the Saharanpur facility reportedly included ten large rooms and an underground hall designed to function as a training space. Dr Shaheen insisted that no internet connection be used inside the centre to prevent recruits from contacting outsiders or being traced online. Only the outer section of the property was to host a small clinic and a school for young girls. The inner section would act as a hostel where women trainees stayed during the radicalisation and physical training sessions.
Jaish operatives posed as scholars and clerics
Officials say members of Jaish-e-Mohammed were scheduled to visit the centre disguised as religious scholars or intellectuals. Their role was to deliver lectures promoting jihad and push the trainees deeper into extremist thinking. Women selected for the programme were reportedly referred to as “Muntazima”, a coded term used internally for female recruits.
