The suspected terrorist, Asadulla Abubakkar, has reportedly admitted that he has recruited some youths from north Karnataka to work for Jehad in the region. “He has not only supplied logistic support to his higher ups, for executing terror plans, but also motivated innocent youths to join him,” said highly placed police sources.
Asadulla, who was arrested by Honnali police in Davangere district on charges of stealing vehicles, was brought to the city on Wednesday for interrogation.

He was also taken to a dense forest area at Kalghatgi, near here, where he was reportedly training youths in destructive activities when he was studying Ayurveda in a local college in the city.

“Interrogation of the suspected terrorist has proved fruitful and we have enough evidences to believe that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives have infiltrated into the region and are acting as sleeper cells, spreading messages brainwashing youths,” the sources told Deccan Herald.

The suspected extremist had divulged information that his men were actively working in the region, mainly Bidar and Bijapur districts, in gathering information about vital installations like Almatti Dam, airports, historical structures and the police network.

Cashing in on poverty

“The backward districts of north Karnataka have come in handy for the militant groups as they easily get shelter and logistic support there. Rampant ignorance and poverty in these areas are forcing youth to take to extremist activities,” the sources added.

Asadulla along with his aide Mohammed Asif, a final year MBBS student of KIMS in Hubli, have frequently visited Bidar and Bijapur to indoctrinate youths to take to terrorism. “LeT is cashing in on poverty and innocence of youths to execute their sinister plans in the region,” the sources felt.

One more reason that helped the terror groups to spread their tentacles in Bidar and Bijapur could be their proximity to Hyderabad and Mumbai, both of which are known hub of LeT operatives.

The sources said Asadulla’s shocking revelations during the interrogation on Wednesday made the police to think that he (Asadulla) might have had contact with three suspected terrorists-- Shahed, Moulana Abdul Rub Momin and Mehaboob Ibrahim-- arrested from Bidar, Hunushyal in Bijapur district and Guledgudda in Bagalkot district last year. These suspected anti-nationals were arrested by the State Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) in connection with attack on IISc in Bangalore.