India, April 2 -- The arrest of Ahmad Lone by the Delhi Police on March 29 is not merely another routine success in counter-terror operations. According to media reports, his intended targets included Delhi Kalkaji Temple and the bustling Connaught Place-symbols of both faith and urban life in the national capital. Acting under instructions from handlers based in Pakistan, Lone was allegedly engaged in recruiting Indian Muslim youth for the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

 Only a few days earlier, security agencies had apprehended twelve suspects linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda in a coordinated operation across multiple states. Among them were individuals from ordinary professions-a bike-taxi driver, a restaurant employee, and even a laser-marking tec...