Centre alert: IM planning Chhatisgarh-like attack on politicians, reveals Bhatkal
Rahul Tripathi : New Delhi, Mon Sep 30 2013, 09:45 hrs
Sources said that Bhatkal’s and Akhtar’s disclosures reveal that the IM top leadership believes that “targeting public is not yielding results as the government gets away by paying compensation to victims.
The attack by Maoists in Darbha, Chhattisgarh, in May, leaving several top Congress leaders dead, impressed the Indian Mujahideen and it may try an assault on similar lines. This has been revealed by arrested IM operatives Yasin Bhatkal and Asadullah Akhtar during their interrogation, prompting the Centre to issue an alert to states and security agencies and telling them to beef up security of political leaders across the country.
Sources said that Bhatkal's and Akhtar's disclosures reveal that the IM top leadership believes that "targeting public is not yielding results as the government gets away by paying compensation to victims. To shake the government, politicians should be targeted."
The IM is also believed to be trying to take Maoist support for supply of arms and explosives.
In its communication to the states, the Home Ministry has pointed out that political activities are set to pick up because of the coming elections.
States have been asked to conduct anti-sabotage checks for every rally, as well as secure routes to be taken by political leaders. The Home Ministry wants states to also record public gatherings to help identify any suspicious activities.Arrested terrorist Yasin Bhatkal reveals Indian Mujahideen's modus operandi
Rahul Tripathi : New Delhi, Wed Sep 04 2013, 08:21 hrs
Alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Mohammed Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal has claimed that absconding IM commander Riyaz Bhatkal, believed to be hiding in Pakistan, coordinates all attack carried out by the terrorist organisation.
As per Yasin's claims, Riyaz gets recce conducted through one module and then uses another module to trigger the blast. Both modules are largely unaware of each other.
This, according to investigators, was the case during the 2013 Hyderabad blasts and 2012 Pune bombings, where the recce was conducted by one set of IM operatives headed by Syed Maqbool, while the bombs were planted by a group led by Yasin.
Investigators also tried to make both Yasin and his accomplice, Asadullah Akhtar, meet their family members, but both of them refused.
Yasin is also learnt to have told investigators that after the Hyderabad blasts, he was trying to keep a low profile fearing arrest by the Indian security agencies. It was for this reason that he was holed up in Pokhra, Nepal.
Sources said the Nepalese authorities had also clandestinely clicked his pictures and sent them to their Indian counterparts to be sure about his presence in the house. Investigators also said that for a fortnight, "Yasin had completely stopped moving out of the house. We thought he might have slipped again and therefore decided to conduct a raid".
The location of Yasin's hideout in Pokhra was given away by a letter purportedly written by him to his wife in New Delhi. The envelope sent through post is also believed to have contained cash, officials claimed.
Regarding IM's finances, Yasin said the money is regularly sourced from Pakistan to recruit more youngsters.
Yasin and Akhtar have been kept inside a CRPF safe-house located on the outskirts of Delhi and manned by nearly 2,000 security personnel. A special security plan has been devised and put in place to monitor the two. The National Investigation Agency also said they will get psychoanalysis tests conducted on the duo to understand their behavior and state of mind. It has been learnt that the two have been frequently asking for breaks during interrogation, and are allowed to offer prayers five times a day.http://www.indianexpress.com/news/arrested-terrorist-yasin-bhatkal-reveals-indian-mujahideens-modus-operandi/1164131/0
‘Pune footprints’ of IM, Bhatkals
Chandan Haygunde : Pune, Mon Sep 16 2013, 02:46 hrs
Chargesheets in two cases, one in Mumbai and one in Pune, name the Bhatkal brothers for indoctrinating qualified youths from Pune for 'jihad', making Pune the base of IM, especially for its 'media cell' operations, executing the German Bakery blast of February 13, 2010, and JM Road bombings on August 1, 2012, to avenge the murder of its alleged operative Qateel Siddiqui in Yerawada jail.
Recruitment for 'jehad'
According to the Mumbai crime branch's chargesheet on the IM "media cell" busted in 2008, the Bhatkal brothers visited Pune many times and were successful in indoctrinating educated professionals such as Mohammed Mansoor Asghar Ali Peerbhoy, a young software engineer residing at Centre Park residential society, Dr Ambedkar Road.
He was among the 21 alleged IM operatives arrested after the investigations in the blasts at Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur and the unexploded bombs in Surat in 2008. Peerbhoy was then an employee of Yahoo and drawing an annual salary of about Rs 19 lakh. Besides Peerbhoy, 10 more suspects were arrested from Pune in 2008.
Terror operatives were allegedly following Peerbhoy since 2004 when he was attending Arabic classes in Pune. Alleged IM operative Asif Bashir Shaikh of Kondhwa, who used to identify youths as possible recruits, had joined the same Arabic class and developed friendly relations with Peerbhoy, the chargesheet says. Asif was a mechanical engineer.
Asif is alleged to have introduced Bhatkal brothers to Peerbhoy. The Bhatkal brothers reportedly wanted Peerbhoy to join IM because of his computer and technical skills and was shown CDs of brutalities on Muslims around the world. But it was after he saw the bodies of Muslim victims in Mecca Masjid blasts in May 2007 that he allegedly made up his mind to join IM, the chargesheet says, and allegedly became the head of the IM 'media cell'.
Among other IM suspects was Mohammed Atik Mohammed Iqbal of Kharalwadi, Pimpri. Similarly, IM is believed to have indoctrinated Dr Anwar Abdulgani Bagwan, a native of Secundrabad and an MBBS doctor from the prestigious B J Medical College in Pune. He was allegedly in-charge of the Primary Health Centre, Jogwadi, Pune. Investigators alleged that as per the directions of Bhatkal brothers, he used the funds provided by them for renting flats at Ashoka Mews and Kamaldeep Apartment in Kondhwa for IM's terror activities. Cops seized the agreement papers that Bagwan had signed while taking these premises on rent.
The other IM suspects arrested included Anik Sayyad, Farooq Tarquas alias Abdulla, Majid Shaikh alias Nazim, Fazal Rehman Durani, Mohammed Akbar Chowdhary of Kondhwa, Dutagir alias Afroz Muzawar of Pimpri, Yasar Sayyad alias Hujefa of Kasba Peth. Mohammed Akbar was also alleged to be involved in Hyderabad blasts. His brother Moshin, a wanted IM operative, is also named in German Bakery blast. Many of the suspects attended terror training imparted at Bhatkal, the native place of IM founders. Besides, IM members not having computer knowledge were allegedly being given computer training at the "Acme computer institute" in Camp, which was run by suspect Anik Sayyad.
Online indoctrination
Investigators started hunting for the Bhatkal brothers following the arrest of several IM operatives. The Maharashtra ATS's chargesheet on the JM Road blasts of 2012 says they were hiding abroad but still trying to recruit members for the terror outfit. They allegedly contacted recruits through chatting on the Internet. In JM Road blast case, the Delhi police and Maharashtra ATS arrested eight persons, including three from Pune — Feroz Sayyed alias Humza, Munib Iqbal Menon and Farooq Shaukat Bagwan.
ATS claimed that Feroz was among the suspects who planted the bombs on J M Road on August 1, 2012. And that two days before the blast, Riyaz interacted with him through chatting about the execution of terror attack. Four more suspects held allegedly used to chat with Bhatkal and terror operative Fayyaz Kagzi of LeT. Firoz also allegedly had a meeting with Kagzi in Saudi Arabia. Kagzi reportedly gave him Bhatkal's e-mail ID.
Meanwhile, the ATS had also arrested alleged IM operative Maulana Shabbir Hussain Gangawali of Bhatkal, Karnataka, in a fake currency case from Janwadi area of Pune in December 2008. ATS claimed he was also involved in circulation of jehadi literature and conducting "darj" meetings in Pune.
IM's media cell in pune
According to the Mumbai crime branch chargesheet, after the ban on Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), the Bhatkal brothers and Amir Raza Khan, allegedly based in Pakistan, formed IM. Amir Raza Khan formed four groups — "Sahabuddin brigade for strikes in south, Mohd Gajaniavi brigade for strikes in north, Shaheed Al Zarkavi brigade for strikes on VVIPs, and a media group for sending e-mails before blasts to print and electronic media for claiming responsibility".
The chargesheet says IM hired premises in Sewree Cross Lane, Mumbai, and in Ashoka Mews and Kamaldeep Apartments at Kondhwa, Pune. Besides regular terror meetings, even assembly of bombs was done here.
Ashoka Mews apartment in Kondhwa reportedly became the main base of the media cell led by Peerbhoy. Asif Bashir Shaikh of Kondhwa, a mechanical engineer along with Mubin Shaikh of Kondhwa were allegedly part of IM's media cell.
Media cell Operations
Peerbhoy allegedly undertook specialised training in hacking from an expert in Hyderabad in May 2007. In September 2007, he went to the US where he allegedly purchased equipment like a spy camera and a radio frequency signal detector for facilitating the terror activities of IM. Prior to the Ahmedabad blasts, IM was allegedly using cyber cafes for sending terror e-mails. But as investigators identified these cyber cafes, Riyaz allegedly directed Peerbhoy in May 2008 to send e-mails through Wi-Fi networks.
At the Ashoka Mews flat, Peerbhoy, Asif Bashir Shaikh and Mubin Shaikh had allegedly penned down a 14-page terror threat e-mail on July 21, 2008, ending with a warning of bombs within the next five minutes and challenging the government and police to prevent the bombings if they can.
The e-mails came a few minutes before the Ahmedabad blasts on July 26, 2008, from an unsecured Wi-Fi connection in Sanpada area of Navi Mumbai. On August 23, 2008, another e-mail from an unsecured Wi-Fi connection of Khalsa college in Mumbai came, claiming the planting of IEDs in Surat on July 27, 2008. Again, a terror mail was sent from unsecured Wi-Fi connection in Chembur on September 13, 2009. The e-mails were sent from the e-mail address alarabi.alhindi@gmail.com. Iqbal signed the e-mail as "AL-ARBI" and Riyaz signed it as "Al-HINDI". The signatures were scanned and pasted at the end of terror e-mails. Several media cell members of IM were arrested in 2008 but the terror outfit continued to send terror e-mails. Therefore, it is believed that IM's media cell is still active.
Party after blasts
The crime branch chargesheet says Iqbal arranged a dinner party for the members of the outfit at Kamaldeep Apartments on the evening of July 26, 2008, to celebrate the Ahmedabad blasts. Mohsin Choudhary and other terror operatives were present at the party, it says. The suspects also watched the TV coverage of the blasts and patted themselves for "accomplishing the mission".
Based on instructions from Bhatkal brothers, IM operatives had purchased clocks from Mumbai and converted them into timer devices at Ashoka Mews apartment, according to the chargesheet, which adds that these devices were handed over to Riyaz in Pune and then installed with bombs used for Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts.
After planting the bombs on JM Road, Feroz allegedly went to his garments shop in Camp area. Here, he is said to have watched news of the blasts along with Menon and Bagwan.
Riyaz and Iqbal had given directions to execute German Bakery and JM Road blasts, investigators believe.http://www.indianexpress.com/news/-pune-footprints--of-im-bhatkals/1169705/0
Bhatkal to officials: IM working on hydrogen peroxide-based IEDs
An expert bomb maker, Bhatkal is suspected to have undergone training to make IEDs using hydrogen peroxide and acetone.
According to counter-terrorism experts, the same chemicals were used in the 2005 London train bombings.
Bhatkal reportedly said that the top IM leadership discussed the use of peroxide-based IEDs after the government decided to regulate the sale of ammonium nitrate. However, investigators have not found peroxide-based IEDs in any of the bomb blasts in the country so far.
Bhatkal is reported to have told officials that he was pulled up by his bosses and got a phone call from Karachi after the Surat bombs failed to explode in 2008, as well as when the Chinnaswamy stadium blasts in Bangalore failed to cause mass casualties. He reportedly claimed his handler was a lieutenant colonel in Pakistan's ISI.
An officer involved in the probe said Bhatkal claimed that "whatever he had done was for a just cause" and "had a logical explanation for all the blasts in the country."
"He would take extreme precautions while carrying out any operation. During his stay in Nepal, they were planning their next operation," said sources. "He was single-handedly procuring the explosives for his group. He knows all the suppliers and the locations from where the explosives for the group's activities were being procured," said the officer. Officials said the IM's main source of chemicals, explosives and detonators was the mining industry.
Bhatkal is also reported to have managed the finances of the terror outfit, and was involved in recruiting new talent as well. Intelligence agencies said they have have recovered two laptops, four cellphones, pen drives and CDs from his possession.
Describing him as a "dexterous professional", sources said Bhatkal would rather travel over 300 kilometres than get a task done over the phone. He is reported to have a chain of human contacts ready to pass on his message about any operation.http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bhatkal-to-officials-im-working-on-hydrogen-peroxidebased-ieds/1162875/0
Bhatkal's grilling reveals IM is way ahead of security agencies in tech use
Johnson T A : Bangalore, Mon Sep 16 2013, 09:43 hrs
Encryption of messages, use of GPRS phones are among the methods used by Yasin Bhatkal and company.
Encryption of messages whether on e-mail or chats, dead dropping of e-mails and use of GPRS phones are among the methods being employed by Yasin and company to prevent detection by security agencies.
The nature of the technology used and operations of the IM have also led investigators to believe that it is aligned with the Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan, which is known to be a tech-savvy terror outfit, rather than al-Qaeda, to which the IM has been linked in recent times.
Several agencies reviewing the timeline of movement of Yasin and his missing associates — Waqas alias Javed and Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu — have found that they were close on the heels of the IM men on several occasions but never managed to pick up the crucial intelligence to nab them. Tahseen Akhtar is now suspected to be the interim leader of the IM in India.
While Yasin was suspected to have been out of India since the Mumbai triple blasts of July 13, 2011, sources said the others have been moving around in cities like Mangalore, Belgaum and Hyderabad but managed to remain under the radar of security agencies.
"Every small message among them is encrypted. The use of regular phones is almost non-existent. They use only GPRS phones. They are a small group but very tech savvy. State police forces are two decades behind in technology usage to track such covert operations," security sources said.
Investigators are said to be in the process of deciphering some 30,000 encrypted messages between the arrested IM operatives and their associates.
The Laskhar-e-Toiba displayed its technical acumen during the 26/11 Mumbai attack where a range of communication and navigation technologies was employed, using phones and call cards that were bought after careful concealment of the real identity of the buyers.
"There has been some effort to align with al-Qaeda but the IM operations seem more like the LeT," sources said.
Officials said that during his interrogation, Yasin has been saying that the IM is no longer linked to the LeT but is trying to report to al-Qaeda, but this may not be true. While Yasin has been talking, he is believed to be concealing key information.
Among the revelations made by him is that he received training in Pakistan in 2006 on the Baluchistan border. "He claims he identified the region after looking it up on Google map," police sources said.
Yasin has also claimed that the attacks in Hyderabad in February this year were linked to the communal flashpoints in the city over places of worship, sources said.http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bhatkals-grilling-reveals-im-is-way-ahead-of-security-agencies-in-tech-use/1169733/0
