Bhatkal's handler a Pakistan Army Lieutenant Colonel

A Pakistan Army Lieutenant Colonel, serving in the ISI, was the handler of Yasin Bhatkal and used to give instructions to the arrested Indian Mujahideen leader for terror acts in India.

A Pakistan Army Lieutenant Colonel, serving in the ISI, was the handler of Yasin Bhatkal and used to give instructions to the arrested Indian Mujahideen leader for terror acts in India.

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During interrogation, Yasin confessed that the Pakistan Army officer was in regular touch with him over phone and emails, gave him instructions and took updates on progress.

The officer also sent money to Yasin through hawala channels and encouraged him to recruit more Indian youth in Indian Mujahideen through radicalisation, official sources said.

Yasin told the interrogators that he is not the head of IM in India and only follows instructions from both his Pakistani handler as well his boss.

During interrogations, security officials got the impression that Yasin wanted to protect IM activists in India as well as in Nepal and was not confessing about them and their hideouts.

The actual identity of Yasin, who is branded as the face of modern-day terrorism, is Mohammed Ahmed Zarar Sidibapa.

Sources said the laptop and mobile phone seized from Yasin's possession have been sent for forensic examination.

The two gadgets are expected to throw up vital clues in unravelling a number of terror modules.

The forged driving licence and a voter ID were also recovered from Bhatkal.

The sleuths also found that he used to write letters and make phone calls to his relatives in Karnataka and other places.

Yssin is wanted in around 40 terror cases and carried a reward of Rs 35 lakh.