Police suspect link between Kagzi and four held at Nanded

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) are investigating a possible link between the four terror suspects arrested from Nanded recently and alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Zulfikar Fayyaz Kagzi (a close associate of alleged 26/11 handler Abu Jundal).

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) are investigating a possible link between the four terror suspects arrested from Nanded recently and alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Zulfikar Fayyaz Kagzi (a close associate of alleged 26/11 handler Abu Jundal).

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The ATS’ suspicions are based on the arrest of Mohammed Akram from the Majestic area of Bangalore on Saturday night, for alleged links to LeT and HuJI. A foreign-made 7.65mm pistol and 16 cartridges were recovered from him. Akram was believed to be linked to the 12 alleged operatives detained from Karnataka and Hyderabad last week. ATS sources said he was also in touch with the four arrested on Friday from Nanded.

Police sources said Akram, who hails from Nanded, had spent some time in Saudi Arabia, and could be in touch with Kagzi. Kagzi, a Beed native, had reportedly shifted base from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia in 2007.

The arms recovered from the four terror suspects caught in Nanded also seemed similar to the ones recovered from those arrested in Karnataka. “Akram’s arrest, and his association with those arrested from Nanded, indicates that the terror group was in the process of recruitment and executing their plan across the country,” said a police officer.

The Maharashtra ATS had on Friday seized two foreign-made revolvers and 14 rounds of ammunition from the four accused in Nanded, around 580km from Mumbai. ATS sources said the suspects had passports and were probably preparing to leave the country.