Yasin Bhatkal was inspired by Osama bin Laden: NIA

 Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal was inspired by al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and used to motivate youngsters for sacrificing their lives in the name of ‘jihad’ through the videos of the slain terrorist, National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said in its chargesheet filed in a Delhi court. 

The NIA said Bhatkal had downloaded from the internet a number of documents, including lectures, and videos of Osama and other prominent terrorists, and made young boys go through them.

“He (Bhatkal) used to quote selected phrases from Islamic religious books in support of ‘jihad’. He had downloaded from Internet a number of documents which portrayed Jihad as an obligatory act of every Muslim. He had also downloaded lectures of Muslim leaders and fighters like Osama Bin laden, Al Yazeed, Al Zarkawi, C Khateeb, Awlaqi from Internet. He made young Muslim boys watch these videos and read out these documents to them, so as to motivate them to sacrifice their lives in the name of jihad,” NIA said, adding all these videos, documents, files have been saved by Bhatkal in his laptop.

These details were disclosed by NIA in its second chargesheet filed in a Delhi court against Mohd Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal, his aides Asadullah Akhtar, Manzer Imam and Ujjair Ahmed in connection with a case of alleged conspiracy to carry out terror acts in the country.

The court on Monday took cognizance of the chargesheet.

Lawyer gets threat

The Delhi High Court on Monday took note of alleged threat call and SMSes of underworld don Ravi Pujari to a lawyer who has been defending terror suspects, including Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, and asked the city police to file a report in the case.

Justice Veena Birbal also issued notices to Delhi government and Union Home Ministry on the plea of M S Khan, a Delhi-based lawyer who has moved the high court after being asked by the apex court recently.

“Let the police file the status report. List it on March 6,” the court said after the lawyer for Khan sought an early hearing of the plea saying the threat was against fundamental right to personal life and liberty of the person who is also a respected member of the bar.

The apex court, while disposing of the plea on February 14, had said, “in our opinion, the petitioner (Khan) should approach the High Court so that if a case is made out, the High Court can give some immediate relief to the petitioner. If such an application is filed, we request the High Court to consider it expeditiously.”

Maoist help

Yasin Bhatkal sought the help of Nepal-based Maoists for procuring arms and ammunition but it did not fructify as they quoted very high rates, NIA has said in its chargesheet filed in a Delhi court.

During a chat Yasin had with another IM operative Riyaz on June 25, 2013, he mentioned he had met a top Maoist leader the day before, but the meeting was not that productive.“He (the Maoist leader) was claiming very high rates for the supply of weapons. Yasin mentioned that he did talk about explosives, but they did have explosives which could be filled in tubes,” NIA said.