Author: Rahul Tripathi
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 23, 2008
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bombs_procured_from_medical_student_in_Udupi/articleshow/3515748.cms
Introduction: Delhi Police Confident Of Arresting
Suspect Soon
The terror module of Indian Mujahideen (IM)
that Delhi police claimed to have busted was helped in procuring bombs by
a medical student from Udupi in Karnataka, according to police sources. The
town in that state is a hub of commercial and educational activities. One
of the arrested militants, Mohammad Saif, has told the police that he had
gone to Udupi in the first week of September, along with Shadab, who is absconding
now. They carrried the explosives to the capital on a train.
The Delhi police team which is conducting
raids in Udupi said they have zeroed on the suspect and he will be arrested
soon and brought to Delhi. The police got the initial leads about Atiq because
three cell numbers that were under surveillance in Gujarat had received calls
from Atiq. His mobile location has been traced to CP in September 3, the day
he is claimed to have done the recce for the blasts on September 13.
The interrogation of the arrested militants
has revealed that they were given a mobile number of the person in Udupi and
asked to call him once they reached the town. The man gave them the assembled
bombs and there was no further interaction. No payments were made by Saif.
"All the bombs were assembled by one man who has been identified. He
could have received training in Pakistan,'' said joint commissioner of police
(special cell) Karnal Singh.
The police said ammonium nitrate is used as
fertilizer in Udupi and there have been significant seizures by the local
police in the past. In April last year, the Udupi police had arrested one
person and seized illegally stored 12.5 bags (50 kg each) of the fertilizers,
along with 70 detonators. This man's role and links are being probed while
another licence holder of fertilizers is also under the scanner, said the
police.
The Delhi police team that took Saif to Udupi
on Sunday night is now on its way back after conducting raids. It is expected
to return to Delhi by Tuesday. A report from Mangalore said that Inspector
General of Police (Western Range) Ashit Mohan Prasad told TOI: "No seizures
or arrests have been made by the team. Saif did not have any local connection.''
Significantly, Saif has also revealed the
name of the financer-cum-businessman from eastern UP and the information has
been passed on to UP Police.
Meanwhile, police teams from Gujarat and Rajasthan
and the UP STF and Mumbai ATS have joined the Delhi
Police probe. In fact, Rajasthan Police on Monday confirmed that Atif was
behind the Jaipur bombings in May this year which killed 68 people.
Another militant, Junaid, who escaped from
the L-18 house, is said to be one of the key men of the module and his arrest
will be crucial for the probe. "We are verifying the mobile call details
of these suspects as several numbers have been revealed during questioning,"
said a senior police officer. "Zeeshan Ahmed, a militant arrested a day
after the encounter, told the police that he was involved in the Ahmedabad
and Delhi bombings but denied his role in the Jaipur blasts while Saquib Nisar
had revealed that that Shakeel indoctrinated them for past two years and motivated
them for the cause. Saquib was introduced to the module by Shadab, who is
his cousin and belongs to Azamgarh. He is on the run and seems to be a key
person in the module,'' added a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, police sources said the funds for
financing the terror activities have been partly provided by underworld which
traces its roots to Dawood Ibrahim and Aftab Ansari. While one is sitting
in Pakistan, the other was arrested for the attack on American Centre in Kolkata.
Their foot soldiers have been supplying the funds, claimed investigators,
and information has been given to Mumbai Police along with the names.
