Three suspected IM terrorists arrested for involvement in Bengaluru blast

Bengaluru: A suspected terror module of banned Indian Mujahideen was claimed to have been busted on Thursday with the arrest of its three alleged operatives and seizure of a huge cache of explosives, even as their possible role in the recent Bengaluru blast that killed a woman and injured three others was being probed. [caption id=“attachment_2037211” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Two suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives were arrested by the police. Agencies[/caption] The arrests were made during simultaneous raids in the city and at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district during which a “substantial” quantity of explosive substances used for making Improvised Explosive Devices were seized, Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi told reporters in Benguluru. Ammonium nitrate, detonators, electronic timer devices, digital circuits, circuit making material, PVC pipes, gel based explosive material and fuel oil were seized, he said. The communication equipment found is being examined to find out whether they could be an “additive” for the explosions device, he said. Reddi gave the names of the arrested as Syed Ismail Aafaque, aged 34, Saddam Hussein, 35, and Abdus Sabuur, 24, an MBA student, saying they were found to be in regular interaction with other members of the banned organisations. Intial information showed that they were operating under the direct instructions of a handler in the higher rungs within their organisation, he said. To a query, he said, there was no “direct link” of the arrested alleged IM operatives to the December 28 blast on Church Street here, but their suspected role was being probed. “Prima facie we do not see connection with the Church street blast. However nothing could be ruled out at this stage. The handler is based out of this country,” he said. Reddi said two persons were arrested at Pulikeshinagar in Bengaluru and another at Bhatkal. “A lot of incriminating material was seized from a house in Puliskeshinagar. Incriminating materials seized are such as electronic communication equipment and laptop,” Reddi said. Further investigation was being taken up jointly by the Bengaluru police and the Internal Security Division of the Karnataka police, he said. Cases have been registered under various sections of the Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He said the “quantity and sophistication of the incriminating material” and equipment for manufacturing explosive devices found in Bhatkal as well some of the incriminating electronic materials seized in Pulikeshinagar suggested that “it is part of a larger scheme of things.” The Improvised Explosive Device blast outside a restauraunt in central business district in Bengaluru, described as a terror attack by the government, had claimed the life of 38-year old Bhavani who was here from Tamil Nadu and injured three others. PTI