Yasin Bhatkal had hideout in Mangalore, recruited local youth to IM
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Sep 11: It has lately come to light that Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal along with his associates had taken refuge at a secret place in Mangalore, sources revealed.
Sources said that Yasin wandered in places like Haleangady, Ullal, Chembugudde and Mukkachery. Riyaz Bhat, Iqbal Bhatkal and Naushad too accompanied Yasin to Mangalore. The main intention was a secret 'enrolment drive' to induct youths from Mangalore into Indian Mujahideen, it is learnt.
In Udupi too, Yasin stayed in a lodge where one of his associates used to regularly visit him. Yasin collected Ammonium Nitrate used in the blast from Mangalore, confirmed NIA investigations.
A few days back, NIA officials brought Yasin and his associate Asadulla Akhtar alias Haddi by a special flight to Mangalore.
During investigation, Haddi is understood to have shown their hideouts in Mangalore and Hyderabad. In these places, Haddi, Yasin, Wakas and Tahsin lived for a few days.
Money collected in Mangalore
A private news channel had recently reported that the money for bomb blast was sent through Western Union Money Transfer from Pakistan. The amount was collected in Mangalore.
Haddi during investigation also showed the said Western Union Money Transfer office located in one of the main roads in the city.
The preparation for Hyderabad bomb blast was made in the Mangalore hideout, sources said. A IED circuit, clothes of Wakas and Tahsin, blast equipment, and a trolley bag were found at the spot by the officials.
There is a possibility that the bombs were prepared in Mangalore and then taken to Hyderabad, said officials.
Explosives found in a house at Ullal
Four years back, in Mukkachery at Ullal, two explosives were found during a raid at a house. In connection to this, two persons from Ullal and four from Mangalore, altogether 7 persons were arrested. Police also received information about terrorist activities in the city during that time.
300 e-mails in laptop
NIA officials are understood to have opened 300 e-mails in Yasin’s laptop. Yasin preferred e-mails to mobile phone connectivity and it is also learnt that Yasin had been to a few cyber centres in the Mangalore before the Hyderabad blast.
As the e-mails were composed in code languages, experts are trying to decipher them. There is a possibility that information regarding Pune German bakery blast, Hyderabad and Mumabi blasts are also present in these e-mails, said officials. Further details will be obtained only after the experts decipher the code language.
Participation in rally
In coastal part of Karnataka and Kerala, Yasin was reportedly in close contact with two associations of a particular community, through which he used to appoint youth to India Mujahideen.
One of these associations had organized a rally in Mangalore in which Yasin had participated, it is learnt. Police are keeping an eye on the leaders of these associations, it is learnt.
Terror network in Kerala
Yasin Bhatkal and Riyaz Bhatkal were successful in extending their terror network to Kerala by recruiting a few Kerala youth for Indian Mujahideen, sources said.
Before Indian Mujahideen came into existence, SIMI was operating in Kerala until it was banned. Many from SIMI then joined Indian Mujahideen. They were not only seen roaming in several parts of Kerala but had also contacted several Kerala youth in Gulf countries to join Mujahideen, investigation has revealed.
In Mallapuram, Yasin had an associate by name Suhaib Pottanikal, who was active in SIMI and later joined Indian Mujahideen. When he received the information that police are on to him, he fled to Dubai. There is also a suspicion that he was also involved in recruiting youth to Indian Mujahideen.
Suhaib’s associate Sainuddin was arrested by police in connection to Ahmedabad and Bangalore blasts. During interrogation, he is said to have admitted that Suhaib had helped him to open an electronic shop at Kondotti and also asked him to meet Yasin Bhatkal.
Recruitment in Gulf
Many of the youth from Kerala working in Gulf countries were recruited to Indian Mujahideen over there. Police issued a lookout notice against SIMI secretary Sarfaraz Nawaz, K P Sabir alias Ayub from Kannur, P P Yusuf from Srikanthpura, Mohammed Azhar, Shafiq from Kannur, P A Naizal from Mambar and several others. The above mentioned people are operating terror activities from Gulf, sources said.
Kerala minister of state for home admitted that Yasin Bhatkal had extended his terrorist network in Kerala. However, he did not reveal the names of associations who are in touch with Yasin but expressed concern over increase in terror activities in the state and said that police have kept an eye on a few people.