Terrorists arrest case: K’taka Police to take custody of 2008 B’luru serial bomb blast accused

Karnataka Police will take T. Nazir, a terror suspect in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts who is lodged in the Central Prison here, into its custody after five suspected terrorists having links with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were arrested.

Nazir is suspected to have brainwashed the arrested youths and operated as the gang commander, sources said on Thursday.

He delivered orders to the accused persons and controlled the gang of terrorists through Mohammad Junaid, the prime kingpin who is suspected to be operating from the border areas of Afghanistan. Nazir hails from Kerala and allegedly gave instructions from the prison, said sources.

The arrested suspected terrorists came in contact with Nazir through Junaid while they were in prison. Nazir had brainwashed them and linked Mohammad Junaid with LeT. Junaid later further brainwashed the arrested suspected terrorists and prepared them to carry out a major terror strike in IT city, Bengaluru.

The probe has also revealed that Nazir helped Junaid to cross the Indian border. The special wing CCB sources said that Nazir will be taken into custody on a body warrant. All the arrested accused have confessed that they were tutored to carry out terror strikes in the central prison by Nazir, sources explained.       

Sources also said after the arrest of five suspected terrorists in Bengaluru, who had planned to carry out subversive activities in the IT city, the preliminary investigations have revealed that the mastermind Mohammad Junaid was operating from Afghanistan and had Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) connections.

Mohammad Junaid, a sheep trader from Sultanpalya in Hebbal locality of Bengaluru was in direct contact with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. Junaid had made use of the terror network and had crossed the Indian borders in 2021. Presently, he is operating from near Afghan borders and sending instructions to his associates in Bengaluru, sources explained.

The officers have already given information about Junaid to the Interpol.

The probe has also revealed that LeT terror suspect in Bengaluru serial bomb blast case, Nasir, who is presently lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison, was in touch with Junaid.

Considering the seriousness of the case, the Karnataka Police are contemplating to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Junaid was forced to become semi-naked and assaulted in front of his wife at his residence over financial matters by one Noor Ahmad. In 2017, September 30, Junaid kidnapped him and hacked him to death. The police had arrested 21 persons in connection with the murder. When Junaid came out of the jail, he was brainwashed and turned into a 'jihadi', police said.

He was later arrested in connection with illegal transportation of red sanders. However, after obtaining bail in this case, he left the country in 2021. The Bengaluru Central City Crime Branch (CCB) is gathering more information about him and sources said that "if not for the arrests, this group could have carried out deadliest attacks in Bengaluru ''.

The CCB wing had arrested Syed Suhail Khan, Mohammad Faizal Rabbani, Mohammad Umar, Muddassir Pasha and Zahid Tabrez on Wednesday and seized a large cache of explosives, weapons and equipment.