JOIN USThe six youths arrested by Bangalore police for having links with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and HuJI, had stolen a two-wheeler from Hubli and had planned to use it to assassinate a journalist and editor of a Kannada daily published from Bangalore, says the First Information Report (FIR).
The ACP, K N Jithendranath, Central Crime Branch, Special Enquiries, the complainant, stated that he received “credible” information regarding the conspiracy hatched to assassinate a columnist on August 26.
The sources told him they belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and some of them were hiding near Marappa Garden, JC Nagar and possessed arms and ammunition.
The ACP sent a team to Hubli and deployed another to keep a watch on the youths in Bangalore. Abdul Hakeem Jamadar and Shoaib Ahmed Mirza alias Chotu used the stolen bike ( KA-27-E-1035) and reconnoitred in Basaveshwarnagar, Shankar Mutt, Cunningham Road, Queen’s Road and JC Nagar areas.
On August 29, the police laid a trap as the youths were to come near Shankar Mutt with the objective of assassinating the journalist, added the FIR.
Two youths wearing helmets and riding a bike came arrived at Maruthinagar where the journalist was expected to make a visit. Abdul Hakeem Jamadar tried to escape when the police surrounded them, while Shoaib Ahmed Mirza alias Chotu “took out a 7.65 mm auto pistol (bearing number 711117 PETRO AND BERATA made in Italy) fire arm and pointed towards the police”, the FIR states.
The police pounced him and he fell down. “The duo admitted that they were members of LeT and HuJI,” the FIR further states. They tipped the police about their three associates in J C Nagar, stated the FIR.
The police rushed to the house in Munireddy Palya around 3.30 pm and secured Muthi-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Riyaz Ahmed Byahatti, Mohammad Yusuf Nalband and Aizaz Ahmed Mirza, the FIR stated.
The police recovered Jihadi books, pen drives containing jihadi materials, laptop, mobile phones, dragger, pistol along with seven live rounds, ATM card, wallet containing Rs 1,100, “the photographs of the journalist and the editor-in-chief with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi”, revealed the FIR.
The suspects told the police they had hatched conspiracies to eliminate political leaders, Hindu leaders and journalists for expressing views against Islam, the FIR claimed.