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IM headhunter lands in net

Last Updated 22 February 2012, 21:05 IST

A 50-year-old member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen was arrested from Bihar, police said on Wednesday. The accused was produced before the city court where he was sent to 15-day police custody. 

Mohammad Qafeel Ahmed was nabbed on Tuesday from Darbhanga in Bihar by Delhi Police’s special team following a tip-off, said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Ashok Chand.

Ahmed was produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Yadav at Tis Hazari court. The court sent him to police custody till March 6 after police submitted that they wanted to interrogate him further to get details about his role, the organisation and its operations in the country.

“Ahmed was allegedly acting as a motivator and recruiter of youths for the terror outfit, which is involved in a series of blasts across the country, since 2008-09,” Chand told reporters. Ahmed, who runs a cycle-repairing shop, used to convey messages to other operatives of the module. He was also a messenger of the outfit.

“He used to brainwash local youths and recruit them to the terror outfit. He also provided safe hideouts for members of the outfit,” said the officer.

Ahmed is allegedly close to Yasin Bhatkal, the mastermind of 13/7 blasts and founder of the outfit and who has fled to Pakistan. He has been working for the group for last three years as a motivator, recruiter and communicator. He has been residing in Bihar for many years and has his relations with Bhaktal, and the key members of IM terror outfit gang. “He also used to look after local mosque and have recruited several youths in Bihar,” said Chand.

Police also said out of the six terror outfit members arrested by the special team in December, three - including Mohammad Qateel Siddique and Gauhar Aziz Khomani were recruited by Ahmed. Their arrest had led to the solving of several cases of bomb blasts in Karnataka, Gujarat, Mumbai and Delhi. “This IM module was based in Darbhanga and Madhubani of Bihar,” Chand said.

The special team is looking for the remaining terror operatives of this module who are believed to have gone into hiding after the arrest of top IM men. Police said the number of IM cadres has gone up significantly after the Batla House encounter on September 19, 2008. Most of IM’s members are the ex-members of banned Students Islamic Movement in India (SIMI).

IM has been getting cover financial help from the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan and its founder Amir Reza Khan is believed to have been housed in Karachi. He lives under ISI protection alongwith Bhatkal brothers Riyaz and Iqbal.

Earlier this month, Mohammad Tarique Anjuman, a founder member and ideologue of the outfit , was arrested from Bihar. With this, the Delhi Police have arrested ten alleged members of the outfit based in Bihar since November 22, 2011.

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(Published 22 February 2012, 21:05 IST)

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