Author: HT Correspondent
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: February 2, 2010
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/lucknow/IM-had-plans-to-blow-up-IITs-raise-a-youth-brigade/Article1-504549.aspx
The Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative arrested
by the UP's anti-terrorist squad (ATS) on Monday from Azamgarh has revealed
that they had plans to blow up India's premier institutes like IITs and raise
IM's youth brigade.
To ensure maximum damage, the plan was to
time the strikes around the time when students visit the technical colleges
for counseling, when the branch in which a student wishes to specialize in
is allotted to them. Shahzad, (21), now in ATS custody, is wanted for serial
blasts in Delhi's Karol Bagh, Greater Kailash, Tilak Marg and Connaught Place
as well as the controversial Batla House encounter that took place on September
19, 2008.
Two IM operatives and a decorated Delhi police
officer were killed in the encounter.
A Delhi police team has air dashed to Lucknow
to interrogate one of their most wanted accused. The Delhi police had declared
a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his arrest.
A resident of Khalispur village under Bilariaganj
police station he was living at Rahmani Manzil, Qureshia school campus of
Azamgarh, UP.
UP ATS chief Brijlal said Shahzad revealed
that they he was tipped to head the IM's youth brigade and had plans to carry
out strikes in Indore and had planted bombs at the India Gate too.
The recruitment for the youth brigade had
already begun and Shahzad allegedly confessed before the ATS officials that
he had started sending youths through sea route overseas for training.
Shahzad said Atif Amin, the IM operative killed
in the Batla House encounter was the king pin who had assigned him the task
of raising fully trained youth outfit capable of carrying out strikes all
over the country.
Barring a 10-second photo opportunity that
the ATS allowed camerapersons, the media was not allowed to interact with
the alleged terrorist.
Shahzad, police said, was living in Azamgarh
for the last couple of months and was arrested from his residence. A senior
officer involved in the investigation said there were possibilities that Shahzad
along with Ariz Khan alias Junaid, who is also wanted in the Batla House encounter
and carries a Rs 5 lakh award, may have opened fire on encounter specialist
Delhi police inspector MC Sharma.
Shahzad was produced in the court on Tuesday.
The Delhi police is expected to apply for the transit remand to take the accused
to Delhi for further interrogation. Police said efforts were being made to
probe his Iraq-connection among other things.
