Key conspirator of 26/11, Abdul Bhatkal, arrested

NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested Simi leader Abdul Samad Bhatkal, a key conspirator in the 26/11 attacks and German Bakery blast case, from Mangalore.

Acting on a tip off from intelligence agencies, Bhatkal was arrested early on Monday morning from Mangalore’s Bajpe airport shortly after he arrived from Dubai. He was whisked away to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

Abdul Bhatkal is a close relative of Indian Mujahideen (IM) founder Riaz Bhatkal. The arrest comes months after the government issued a look-out notice for Bhatkal, who is believed to have planned and co-ordinated the 26/11 attacks while staying in Pakistan.

Abdul Bhatkal’s hand is also suspected in this year’s German bakery blast on February 14 in Pune. His arrest is likely to provide vital clues to the investigators probing the 26/11 case and in cracking the German Bakery blast case.
Abdul Bhatkal would be grilled for ascertaining Pakistan’s role in deadliest terrorist attacks in the country’s economic capital, his links and network in India.

The ATS had identified Yasin Bhatkal, another relative of Riaz Bhatkal, as one of the main conspirators of the German Bakery blast in a preliminary report submitted to the state government on 7 April 2010.

The investigating agency, in its report, had identified four more suspects involved in the blast, including the planters of the bomb-laden bag which went off in the German Bakery.

Maharashtra home minister R R Patil had told the legislative council that the suspects would be arrested in a few days and more details would be disclosed at a later stage.