If the aliases Munawar and Mannu are to be cut out of Mohammed Mansoor Asgar Peerbhoy, the 31-year-old software engineer from Pune comes from a family of well-educated people. His mother is a lecturer in a college while his father is a well-educated businessman.
Mansoor, who studied at one of Pune’s best schools, was ranked third when he graduated as a computer engineer from Pune University. He landed a commendable job as principal software engineer with Yahoo India’s software development department with a hefty pay cheque of Rs 19 lakh.
But Mansoor got indoctrinated at a local mosque he visited and went on to become a key member of Indian Mujhahideen. His indoctrination started when Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal handpicked him, and tutored him.
Mansoor, initially, refused to be involved in blasts. So Iqbal asked him to hack into websites that preached against jehad or Islam. Mansoor was happy to do such things, said a crime branch official. But he continued to stay away from the vicious ring of Indian Mujhahideen.
It was when blasts rocked Mecca Masjid that Mansoor finally joined the ranks of the terror group. Iqbal showed him CD-ROMs, which depicted Muslims being killed in blasts. Iqbal convinced him through these CD-ROMs that it was for the educated people to get involved to carry forward jehad.
{{/usCountry}}It was when blasts rocked Mecca Masjid that Mansoor finally joined the ranks of the terror group. Iqbal showed him CD-ROMs, which depicted Muslims being killed in blasts. Iqbal convinced him through these CD-ROMs that it was for the educated people to get involved to carry forward jehad.
{{/usCountry}}On September 28, when crime branch officials arrested him and quizzed him, Mansoor revealed the entire details on how he had planned and sent the terror e-mails before the blasts.
It was Mansoor’s idea to name the intelligence bureau as ‘ignorance’ bureau, the official added. But Mansoor today regrets his decision to be part of a vicious terror organisation.
Mansoor, sources said, also confessed before his mother and even told her that he got misled. He is ready to tell the truth on how he was misled into an activity he now detests.