IM recced R'than towns, discussed strikes in Jaipur

The interrogation of the arrested Indian Mujahideen suspects has revealed that though they did not have a specific hitlist, they were planning to target those areas in India where communal incidents had taken place.

Though the identity of not many such areas have surfaced, it has been revealed that Gopalgarh town of Rajasthan and Jaipur were being “discussed” as possible targets.

Gopalgarh in Bharatpur district had experienced riots in 2011, leaving 10 persons dead.According to sources in the Special Cell of Delhi Police, the terrorists had allegedly even conducted a recce of one Ganganagar temple in Bharatpur and some places in Jaipur.

But police claimed they had no specific hitlist in any particular order. “Their targets were based on comparatively immediate plans,” said the officer.

Though police claimed that they alleged terrorists had made no “definite” plans to attack these places, it was likely the attacks could have been carried out over the next couple of months. “Had their arrests been delayed by two-three months, it was possible that they could have struck,” said the officer.

“The Jama Masjid attack in 2010 was in retaliation for the Batla House encounter. They wanted to take revenge in areas where communal violence had taken place,” said a senior officer adding that International Mujahideen leader Riyaz Bhatkal had discussed the targets with the arrested suspects.

The four suspects, including Waqas, are in police remand till April 2. While Waqas is alleged to have carried out several attacks, police said the other three have not carried out any terror-strikes so far.

“But they were in the process of carrying out the attacks. They were also sheltering some IM leaders and were in possession of explosives. Apart from these, they have taken lessons in manufacture of explosives and detonators,” said the officer.

He added that interrogation of the accused has not revealed their visits to Pakistan so far, but “they were in constant touch with people in Pakistan”.

Police also claimed that it was Waqas who gave vital information about Tehseen Akhtar’s location following which he was arrested from Indo-Nepal border. Their interrogation also revealed that the other three also wanted to go and fight forces of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Afghanistan.