Mahruf and Waqar, the Indian Mujhahideen operatives arrested from Jaipur, were once bright students with one of them even aspiring to study at IIT. However they lost their way after being indoctrinated by Pakistan-based Afif Bhatkal alias Atta, one of IM’s founder members who are trying to recruit youths with technical background.
‘Interrogation of these operatives who were part of the Rajasthan module of Indian Mujahideen has revealed that its founders like Riyaz, Iqbal and Afif who reside in Pakistan currently are now looking to induct fresh ‘talent’ into the terror outfit and for this they are targeting educated youth with technical background,’ said a senior police official associated with the investigation of the case.
‘They think that those with technical knowledge will learn about things like IEDs, detonators, circuits etc easily and thus will be handy in carrying out terror strikes. Afif used to screen Facebook to spot people who showed interest or ‘liked’ content related to jehad. He then got in touch with them, further radicalized them and finally inducted them in IM fold,’ the official said.
Sources said that Afif fled to Pakistan in 2009 and since then has been living in Karachi with Riyaz and Iqbal ever since. He is Riyaz Bhatkal’s cousin.
Special Cell of Delhi police had arrested Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas on Saturday from Ajmer and then nabbed Mahruf and Waqar from Jaipur while Shaquib Ansari was arrested from Jodhpur at Waqas’ instance on Sunday.
‘Mahruf and Waqar were engineering students while Shaquib was a computer expert, they were recently ‘recruited’ by Afif in that order as they completely fulfilled the ‘requirements’.
Once they were ready, Riyaz Bhatkal instructed Tehsin Akhtar, IM’s India chief (arrested on Tuesday) to further train them in IEDs and other things,’ the official said.
According to police sources, Mohd Waqar Ahmed (21), a resident of Pali in Rajasthan was once very focused on studies.
‘He scored 80 per cent marks in tenth board and 75 per cent marks in 12th board. He wanted to study at IIT and for that even enrolled at a very reputed coaching institute at Kota, Rajasthan for one year,’ the official said.
‘Interrogation of these operatives who were part of the Rajasthan module of Indian Mujahideen has revealed that its founders like Riyaz, Iqbal and Afif who reside in Pakistan currently are now looking to induct fresh ‘talent’ into the terror outfit and for this they are targeting educated youth with technical background,’ said a senior police official associated with the investigation of the case.
‘They think that those with technical knowledge will learn about things like IEDs, detonators, circuits etc easily and thus will be handy in carrying out terror strikes. Afif used to screen Facebook to spot people who showed interest or ‘liked’ content related to jehad. He then got in touch with them, further radicalized them and finally inducted them in IM fold,’ the official said.
Sources said that Afif fled to Pakistan in 2009 and since then has been living in Karachi with Riyaz and Iqbal ever since. He is Riyaz Bhatkal’s cousin.
Special Cell of Delhi police had arrested Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas on Saturday from Ajmer and then nabbed Mahruf and Waqar from Jaipur while Shaquib Ansari was arrested from Jodhpur at Waqas’ instance on Sunday.
‘Mahruf and Waqar were engineering students while Shaquib was a computer expert, they were recently ‘recruited’ by Afif in that order as they completely fulfilled the ‘requirements’.
Once they were ready, Riyaz Bhatkal instructed Tehsin Akhtar, IM’s India chief (arrested on Tuesday) to further train them in IEDs and other things,’ the official said.
According to police sources, Mohd Waqar Ahmed (21), a resident of Pali in Rajasthan was once very focused on studies.
‘He scored 80 per cent marks in tenth board and 75 per cent marks in 12th board. He wanted to study at IIT and for that even enrolled at a very reputed coaching institute at Kota, Rajasthan for one year,’ the official said.