Meet South India’s new face of terror

Abdul Sattar, also known as Sainuddin, is the new face of terror.

His interrogation will help the police piece together the terror trail leading up to the blasts that rocked Bangalore, Ahmedabad [Images] and New Delhi [Images].

Preliminary reports prepared following investigations reveal that Sainuddin, who reported to the elusive Riyaz Bhatkal, was one of the main coordinators between the Students Islamic Movement of India, the Indian Mujahideen [Images] and the Lashkar-e-Tayiba [Images].

Intelligence Bureau sources told rediff.com that Sainuddin had the task of sending youth from southern India to Kashmir to fight alongside the Lashkar. Sattar, who reported to Riyaz Bhatkal, was one of the key persons responsible for creating the terror corridor down south.

Sattar, like Mansoor Peerbhoy — who allegedly sent IM’s e-mails ahead of the terror attacks in Delhi and Ahmedabad — and Abdul Subhan aka Tauqeer, was handpicked by Safdar Nagori to run the tech team of the IM.

Sainuddin showed keen interest in improvising terror strikes and his role for preparing the timer devices in the BAD blasts is also being probed.

The timer devices used in the Bangalore blasts are considered to be devices of the future.

Sainuddin helped prepare the micro conductors, which were used in the Bangalore blasts. These timers are unique in nature and can be timed between 5 minutes and 365 days, according to investigating agencies in Bangalore.

Although his role is being probed in these three major incidents, his activities have been stronger in Kerala [Images]. Investigations show he had played host to a person by the name Imam Ali who was trained by the Lashkar and the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Ali, with the help of Sainuddin, had imparted training to several youth in Kerala on how to make bombs.

Apart from this, the name of Sainuddin also figures in the accused list of the 2006 blasts at the KSRTC stand in Kozhikode. He is also suspected to be involved in two blasts that rocked Kerala in 1995.

It is believed that this man had devised pipe bombs in order to carry out these blasts.

His importance in terror circles improved following these attacks.

Can Pak still ask for this man?

Pakistan’s demand to hand over Lt Colonel Purohit in connection with the Samjahutha Express blast will turn out to be a damp squib considering the fact that the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai [Images] Anti-Terrorism Squad makes no mention of the case.

The chargesheet which runs into 4285 pages and names 11 accused in the Malegaon case has no mention about the involvement of the accused in connection with the Samjahutha Express case.

Ganesh [Images] Sovani, advocate for Sadhvi Pragya [Images] Singh Thakur who is one of the accused in the case told rediff.com that the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai ATS goes on to prove that there is no involvement of either Purohit or any of the other accused in the Samjahutha case. To cover up their misdoings following the 26/11 deadly Mumbai attack, Pakistan cannot ride bogey on the case.

The entire chargesheet deals mainly with Dayanand Pandey and Purohit and their alleged involvement in the Malegaon case.

With regard to the Sadhvi the only offence that has been made out against her is regarding the vehicle.

Though the ATS earlier claimed that Purohit was involved in the Samjahutha Express case too the same does not find a mention in the chargesheet. Sovani says that even Hemant Karkare [Images] in his last interview had stated that Purohit had nothing to do with the Samjautha case and the involvement in the Malegaon case was being looked into.

Moreover, the explosives used in both the case are completely different. Sovani also points out that while RDX was used in the Malegaon blasts [Images], it was ammonium nitrate that rocked the Express.

The Intelligence Bureau however maintains that the Samjahutha blasts were the handiwork of the Students Islamic Movement of India who were under specific instructions to derail the Indo-Pak peace process.

The entire confusion regarding the involvement of an Indian officer in the Samjahutha blasts case was triggered off when the ATS had sought extention of Purohit’s remand in police custody. The ATS while seeking extension of remand had submitted to the court that Purohit had procured RDX for the Samjahutha blasts and hence his role in that case too was being probed.

Sources in the ATS however reveal that when there is a suspicion they only make a mention of the same in a remand report. Whether the crime has been committed or not will reflect only in the chargesheet.

Sovani too adds that there is no point in jumping to any conclusion when there is a mention of something in a remand report. The fact that the chargesheet does not mention anything about their involvement in the Samjahutha blasts this is proof enough to show their innocence.