Pulwama terror attack: Operatives purchased aluminium powder online, says FATF

Srinagar, Jul 9: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has revealed that a key component—aluminium—used in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack was procured by the perpetrators through an online platform.
The FATF 2025 report, quoting officials states that a suicide bombing that targeted a convoy of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), resulting in the deaths of forty personnel in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was a “big conspiracy” and the terrorists acquired aluminium, the key component used in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) through the e-commerce platform Amazon (EPOM).
The report states that the attack was planned and carried out by the group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JuM) terrorists and the investigations revealed that a large quantity of explosives was moved across the border into India for the attack. “The aluminium powder procured online was used to enhance the impact of the blast,” it adds.
The FATF report said that the case demonstrates the ways in which terrorist groups are using commercial platforms to access materials that can be used in attacks. “The use of legitimate business infrastructure, such as e-commerce services, poses a growing challenge to counter-terrorist financing efforts,” it added.
As a result of the investigation, nineteen individuals were charged under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including sections related to terrorist financing.
Among those charged were seven foreign nationals, including the suicide bomber.
Law enforcement agencies recovered moveable and immovable assets connected to the operation, including vehicles and locations used as hideouts.
The FATF said that jurisdictions should work with private sector entities to improve oversight of transactions involving dual-use materials. It added that enhanced coordination between financial intelligence units, law enforcement agencies, and e-commerce providers is necessary to address the misuse of online platforms in support of terrorist activities.
Pertinently, in Pulwama terror attack case on August 25, 2020, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a 13,500-page chargesheet in a special NIA court in Jammu. The chargesheet named 19 accused, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, his brothers Abdul Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, and his nephew Mohammed Umar Farooq, who was later killed in an encounter in 2019.
The NIA stated that the attack was directed by JeM’s Pakistan-based leadership, with clear digital, forensic, and oral evidence establishing links between local operatives in India and their Pakistani handlers.
The NIA further noted that Adil Ahmad Dar, the suicide bomber, was deliberately projected as a local terrorist to give the impression that the attack was home-grown. However, investigations revealed extensive planning, logistics, and material support from across the border.
The NIA also named six individuals still at large, including Mohammad Ismail, Sameer Ahmad Dar, and Ashaq Ahmed Nengroo all of whom had fled to Pakistan in addition to Masood Azhar, Rauf Asghar, and Ammar Alvi. (KNO)