NEW DELHI: Almost three months after the Bengaluru police busted the 'explosives module' of Indian Mujahideen, agencies have found strong evidence of involvement of Islamic fundamentalist group Popular Front of India (PFI) in 2011 Mumbai bombings, 2012 Pune blasts and 2013 Hyderabad Dilsukhnagar attack. While it is already known that IM's Riyaz Bhatkal, Yasin Bhatkal, Tehsin Akhtar, Assadulah Akhtar and Waqas planned these bombings, the responsibility of procuring explosives was given to PFI.
An old member of SIMI, Syed Ismail Afaque Lanka, arrested in January this year, has disclosed that he had sent PFI members to buy material- ammonium nitrate, gelatin sticks, non-electrical detonators, capacitors etc - which was used by IM members to assemble the deadly bombs that took many lives.
Other than these three consignments, Afaque had also procured a huge consignment of explosives last year which he claimed was meant to carry out serial attacks on the anniversary of 9/11 or 26/11. Times of India exclusively accessed the details of his interrogation with NIA and IB. Afaque discloses that these explosives were easily available in coastal Karnataka and used in mining or fishing purposes.
Afaque was arrested along with three others in January this year by Bengaluru police. The intelligence agencies and National Investigation Agency thoroughly grilled him for past two months over his association with Indian Mujahideen, SIMI and other outfits. He admitted having visited Pakistan several times and meeting IM's Afeef Hasan, Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal.
Associated with SIMI for a long time, the 36-year-old homeopath had also attended several meetings of SIMI and IM in the past in Dubai and Pakistan.
Giving details of his association with Riyaz and his role in these blasts, Afaque has disclosed that he went to Pakistan in March-April 2011 which was followed by series of meetings with the Bhatkal brothers. They also trained him in making electronic timers, electronic timer circuits and alarm clock timer circuits apart from asking him to assist in their operations in India.
While returning to India, he was also handed over 20 detonators.
Before every blast, Riyaz Bhatkal gave him directions on Nimbuzz chat for procuring explosives and sent money through hawala. He was not given the name of person who would collect the explosive. "Since 2011, I procured explosives four times i.e. 2011 for Mumbai blasts, 2012 for Pune blasts, 2013 for Hyderabad blasts and finally the consignment (2014) which was recently recovered from the house of Abdul Suboor........for causing blasts on the anniversary of either 9/11 or 26/11," Afaque said.
For Mumbai, July 13, 2011 blasts at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar in which 26 people died, Afaque says, "Riyaz sent Rs 50,000 through hawala via Dubai and asked me to get the explosive. I knew one Zainul Abedi of PFI for last two years. He knew some contacts in the surroundings of Kundapur, Udupi, who can supply explosives. I gave him Rs 50,000 to get the explosives. He brought 200 gelatine sticks at Rs180 per piece and 8 to 10 kgs of ammonium nitrate. He also returned me Rs 7,000-8,000 balance. Then I went to Dhanpathi Galli of Belgauvi and purchased 100 resistors (100 Ohms), 50 capacitors, 40 chips and transistors, all for Rs 300 to Rs 400. Then I prepared the timer circuits".
Yasin Bhatkal had collected the explosive from Afaque, said sources.
For 2012 Pune bombings on August 1, Riyaz contacted Afaque in May-June 2012 for procuring explosives. "I contacted Saddam Hussain of Bhatkal, who is a committed member of PFI. He told me he used to procure explosives in order to hunt fishes in the ocean. He brought 25 gelatine sticks, a box of non-electrical detonators from Sirali Kuppa," said Afaque. It is suspected that Yasin or Tehsin Akhtar collected this explosive.
Then, for the February 21, 2013 twin blasts in Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar that killed 17 people, Afaque was contacted by Riyaz Bhatkal in October/November 2012.
"I again received money to meet the expenditure towards purchase of explosive material through hawala. Accordingly, I again contacted Saddam Hussain who procured 25 gelatine sticks, a box of non electrical timers from Sirali Kuppa," he says. "I went to Bangalore and purchased the required material for preparing explosives - timers, and prepared the same," he adds.
Assadulah Akhtar alias Haddi had collected the consignment from him in Mangalore.
He procured the last consignment in the first week of December 2014 when IM's Afeef instructed him to get 50 gelatine sticks. He again sent Saddam Hussain for buying it and kept it at the residence of Abdul Suboor, his friend.
This consignment was recovered by cops in January when Afaque, Saddam Hussain, Suboor and Riyaz Ahmed Saeedi were arrested.
Popular Front of India’s role in 2011 Mumbai, 2012 Pune, 2013 Hyd blasts found: Intel agencies - The Times of India
An old member of SIMI, Syed Ismail Afaque Lanka, arrested in January this year, has disclosed that he had sent PFI members to buy material- ammonium nitrate, gelatin sticks, non-electrical detonators, capacitors etc - which was used by IM members to assemble the deadly bombs that took many lives.
Other than these three consignments, Afaque had also procured a huge consignment of explosives last year which he claimed was meant to carry out serial attacks on the anniversary of 9/11 or 26/11. Times of India exclusively accessed the details of his interrogation with NIA and IB. Afaque discloses that these explosives were easily available in coastal Karnataka and used in mining or fishing purposes.
Afaque was arrested along with three others in January this year by Bengaluru police. The intelligence agencies and National Investigation Agency thoroughly grilled him for past two months over his association with Indian Mujahideen, SIMI and other outfits. He admitted having visited Pakistan several times and meeting IM's Afeef Hasan, Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal.
Associated with SIMI for a long time, the 36-year-old homeopath had also attended several meetings of SIMI and IM in the past in Dubai and Pakistan.
Giving details of his association with Riyaz and his role in these blasts, Afaque has disclosed that he went to Pakistan in March-April 2011 which was followed by series of meetings with the Bhatkal brothers. They also trained him in making electronic timers, electronic timer circuits and alarm clock timer circuits apart from asking him to assist in their operations in India.
While returning to India, he was also handed over 20 detonators.
Before every blast, Riyaz Bhatkal gave him directions on Nimbuzz chat for procuring explosives and sent money through hawala. He was not given the name of person who would collect the explosive. "Since 2011, I procured explosives four times i.e. 2011 for Mumbai blasts, 2012 for Pune blasts, 2013 for Hyderabad blasts and finally the consignment (2014) which was recently recovered from the house of Abdul Suboor........for causing blasts on the anniversary of either 9/11 or 26/11," Afaque said.
For Mumbai, July 13, 2011 blasts at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar in which 26 people died, Afaque says, "Riyaz sent Rs 50,000 through hawala via Dubai and asked me to get the explosive. I knew one Zainul Abedi of PFI for last two years. He knew some contacts in the surroundings of Kundapur, Udupi, who can supply explosives. I gave him Rs 50,000 to get the explosives. He brought 200 gelatine sticks at Rs180 per piece and 8 to 10 kgs of ammonium nitrate. He also returned me Rs 7,000-8,000 balance. Then I went to Dhanpathi Galli of Belgauvi and purchased 100 resistors (100 Ohms), 50 capacitors, 40 chips and transistors, all for Rs 300 to Rs 400. Then I prepared the timer circuits".
Yasin Bhatkal had collected the explosive from Afaque, said sources.
For 2012 Pune bombings on August 1, Riyaz contacted Afaque in May-June 2012 for procuring explosives. "I contacted Saddam Hussain of Bhatkal, who is a committed member of PFI. He told me he used to procure explosives in order to hunt fishes in the ocean. He brought 25 gelatine sticks, a box of non-electrical detonators from Sirali Kuppa," said Afaque. It is suspected that Yasin or Tehsin Akhtar collected this explosive.
Then, for the February 21, 2013 twin blasts in Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar that killed 17 people, Afaque was contacted by Riyaz Bhatkal in October/November 2012.
"I again received money to meet the expenditure towards purchase of explosive material through hawala. Accordingly, I again contacted Saddam Hussain who procured 25 gelatine sticks, a box of non electrical timers from Sirali Kuppa," he says. "I went to Bangalore and purchased the required material for preparing explosives - timers, and prepared the same," he adds.
Assadulah Akhtar alias Haddi had collected the consignment from him in Mangalore.
He procured the last consignment in the first week of December 2014 when IM's Afeef instructed him to get 50 gelatine sticks. He again sent Saddam Hussain for buying it and kept it at the residence of Abdul Suboor, his friend.
This consignment was recovered by cops in January when Afaque, Saddam Hussain, Suboor and Riyaz Ahmed Saeedi were arrested.
Popular Front of India’s role in 2011 Mumbai, 2012 Pune, 2013 Hyd blasts found: Intel agencies - The Times of India
