Jundal decided to join LeT after meeting operative in Aurangabad

A meeting with a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative at Tawa hotel in Aurangabad in 2005 finally convinced Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal to join the militant outfit.

A meeting with a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative at Tawa hotel in Aurangabad in 2005 finally convinced Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal to join the militant outfit.

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Contrary to the belief that Jundal was first indoctrinated by Aslam Kashmiri, a LeT operative, Jundal has now told the crime branch he met another LeT operative (name withheld by crime branch) in Aurangabad months before meet Kashmiri.

At the meeting, the operative spoke to Jundal about the LeT for a few hours.

“It was after this interaction that he came in contact with Kashmiri through a friend and then visited Nepal as well for first hand information on the LeT,” sources said.

Sources added that Kashmiri met Jundal in Beed. Jundal has admitted to keeping in touch with the LeT since 2005.

“It was only after he escaped to Karachi after the Aurangabad Arms haul in 2006, that he underwent training and formally joined the set-up,” sources said.

Sources said Jundal had been with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and later on in 2003 converted to Ahl-e-Hadis (people of tradition).

“One of his relatives indoctrinated him at that time,” sources said.

Jundal was one of the main accused in the case but managed to escape.