Mumbai: Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) officials on Monday claimed that a third youth suspected of undergoing terror training in Pakistan is hiding in Uttar Pradesh. The second arrested suspect, who is from Gujarat, revealed that a consignment was scheduled to be sent from Pakistan to Mumbai via a Gulf country but the investigation was still underway to find out what it referred to.
The second arrested suspect and the third wanted suspect were to carry out attacks in Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
One of the arrested accused, who is from Mumbai, also underwent a two-week-long arms’ training in Pakistan.
The three suspects — locals from Mumbai, Gujarat and UP — were provided targets and trained for carrying out attacks, including “lone wolf” ones. They allegedly also received training in suicide attacks, for which they learned how to make improvised explosives and carry out arson.
Following the arrest of Allahrakha Mansuri, a driver from Gandhidham in Kutch, Gujarat, ATS officials learned that a terror consignment was to be sent to India from Pakistan. The same was to be used on the pre-decided targets, officials found.
An ATS officer said, “We have also found a further chain to the already arrested accused persons. It seems that there are more persons on the list of those who were assigned the mission.”
Mansuri, a driver by profession, was also in touch with Farooq Devadiwala, the Sharjah-based handler who assisted in terror training of the accused persons. Devadiwala had sent the first arrested suspect and his distant relative, Faisal Hassan Mirza, for terror training in Pakistan. Mirza, an electrician, was in constant touch with Devadiwala.
Mirza’s role is being investigated and his antecedents are also being checked. Mirza, who was closely associated with Devadiwala, was arrested from Jogeshwari on May 11 in a joint operation with the Kolkata special taskforce.
Devadiwala was detained for questioning by authorities in Dubai following Mirza's arrest.
Devadiwala's name featured in the Delhi police’s special cell investigation into the conspiracy to kill the Shia Waqf board chief in UP. The police arrested three persons in connection with the foiled conspiracy, one of whom had been to Dubai to meet Devadiwala.
Their interrogation led to the overseas handler and his terror design.
