IM operative Haddi confirms Waqas had al Qaeda links

Alleged IM operative Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi revealed to NIA aand Delhi police investigators that Waqas was originally a member of global terror outfit al Qaeda who was specifically taken in to boost IM's activities.

Alleged IM operative Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi revealed to NIA aand Delhi police investigators that Waqas was originally a member of global terror outfit al Qaeda who was specifically taken in to boost IM's activities.

Waqas, 25, was arrested from Ajmer on Saturday by the Delhi police after an international operation that lasted more than two months.

Haddi told Delhi police investigators that Waqas was a member of al Qaeda as he used to chat with his handlers through Riyaz Bhatkal in Karachi. The purpose to send Waqas to India and involve him with IM was to create an interest of al Qaeda in terror activities here.

Counter terror sources say Waqas is also associated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and is highly trained in explosives, weapon handling, ambush and intelligence collection.

Haddi was arrested along with Yasin Bhatkal on August 29 from Indo-Nepal border by counter-terror officials.

Haddi had earlier provided the same information in a statement before magistrate under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) during the NIA probe into IM activities.

A statement before magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC is admissible as an evidence before a court during trial.