Atiq, killed in shootout, was Indian Mujahideen mastermind

NEW DELHI: Twenty-four-year-old Bashir alias Atiq, who was gunned down in an encounter with Delhi Police on Friday morning at Batla House, is now described as the mastermind of Indian Mujahideen (IM), which carried out blasts in UP, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Delhi. The other terrorist shot dead in the encounter was identified as Mohammad Sajid. (Watch)

The emergence of this new module of IM which coordinated the attacks with SIMI has surprised investigators since Abu Bashir and Abdus Subhan, a close ally of SIMI chief Safdar Nagori, were described as the brains behind these attacks. But special cell of Delhi Police, working with central intelligence agencies, zeroed on Bashir alias Atiq after the Ahmedabad blasts.

������We had information that Atiq had gone to Ahmedabad from Delhi by train before the blasts, along with 10 persons, and returned to the capital on the day of the blasts with 12,������ said joint commissioner of police (special cell) Karnal Singh.

This IM module is being described by the investigators as the one which prepared the bombs which were quite similar to the ones in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, UP and Hyderabad. Right from the explosives used to the wooden case, the clock timer and two detonators, everything carried the same signature.

Intelligence officials say there could be two modules and the work of planting explosives had been divided.

Normally, the modules are not aware of each other���s existence.

Abdus Subhan alias Tauqeer still remains the key factor and common link to Abu Bashir and Atiq alias Bashir. However, Abu Bashir had never met his namesake, claimed investigators, and had no direct role in the Delhi blasts though he told the investigators that he was aware of the blasts being planned in Delhi.

The operation at Batla House was planned by the cops after central intelligence agencies and special cell tracking the movements of Atiq came to know he was hiding there. The reservations had been done under assumed names. The police had learnt that Atiq used to visit Delhi frequently and meet his sympathisers from SIMI but avoided using mobile phones. He used them only while communicating with Taqueer or Qayamuddin, said an officer.

The cops claim more attacks had been planned in Delhi and with Friday���s operation, they have foiled them. Atiq had told his parents in Azamgarh that he was going to Delhi to join a computer class.

However, speaking to various news channels, Atiq���s brother Raqib, who also works for a news channel said: ���My brother was never involved in terror activities and was framed by the police. And now he is dead.���

(Courtesy: Timesofindia.com)