After carrying out serial blasts in the country including Delhi, the alleged homegrown bombers of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) were planning suicide attacks on VVIPs and politicians.
This is what one of the bombers, Shehzad Ahmed (21) alias Pappu arrested earlier this week,
told the police. Twelve bombers are still on the run.
Ahmed — accused of killing Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma during an encounter at Batla House in September 2008 and planting a bomb at Children's Park in India Gate in September 2008 — told the police that the IM wanted to stall the Commonwealth Games and World Cup cricket matches in Delhi.
“He told us they wanted to conduct a spate of attacks on people of importance such as VVIPs and politicians so that the country is perceived unsafe for any big international event like the Commonwealth Games,” a senior police officer said.
“Before Delhi, the group had conducted blasts at Jaipur, Surat, Ahmedabad, Varanasi and had never been caught. This gave them the confidence that they will never be arrested."
Police said, Shehzad, a school dropout, was radicalised by IM chief Atif Ameen in only 18 days and he agreed to plant a bomb at Children's Park on September 13, 2008 — the day serial blasts rocked Delhi, killing 21 people. Shehzad reportedly told police that after the serial blasts in September 2008, he was to be sent to Pakistan by sea for formal training in March 2009.
“The bombers never carried mobile phones to any bomb blast spot. One person was in-charge of storing all the mobile phones on the day of the blasts,” the officer said.
“The bombers knew the police could reach them through mobile phone surveillance. On the day of the Delhi blasts one of the accused, Saquib Nissaar who has since been arrested, had stayed back at their L-18 hideout in Batla House with all the mobile phones.” On Saturday, the Special Cell of Delhi Police took Shehzad into custody.
“We have to trace the weapon with which he killed Inspector Sharma and have to trace the remaining 12 bombers who are still on the run,” said a senior officer.