Mumbai attack plotters discussed Hyderabad

Mumbai attack plotters along with David Headley discussed Hyderabad along with other cities in the country source said.
After training with Lashkar E Tayyaba Headley was asked to visit India by his handlers in Pakistan and Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Nagpur and Gujarat are also discussed apart from Mumbai.
Sources in IB said Headley disclosed to FBI that Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh are on the list of the terrorists.
In the voice in the tapes identified by David Headly is Abu Al Qama who took the name of Hyderabad.
Abu Al Qama based in Pakistan is the handler of Babar during the Mumbai attack. Babar was asked to contact Indian Media and tell that the belong to Hyderabad Deccan Mujahideen.
Abu Al Qama asked Bbar to identify himself as from Toli Chowki in Hyderabad. Qama asked Babar that they are carrying out attacks against two faced policy.
When contacted state police said that they have no information on Headley's Hyderabad links. Police also said that there is no information on reported links of Mujeeb Ahmed of Hizbul Mujahideen to Headley.

After 7 years trial begins into Saroornagar Sai Baba Temple blast

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Seven years after the scooter bomb blast in Saroornagar Sai Baba temple, the trial has begun in the special court for Jubilee Hills car bomb blast at Nampally.
Though this court was set upto exclusively try the Jubilee Hills blast case, other important cases too have been referred there.
Nine persons who were injured in the Sai Baba temple blast have appeared as witnesses in the court so far.
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) said that the case is split against four accused -- Abul Nayeem of Saidabad, Altaf Ahmed, Irfan Ali Khan and Abdul Razak Masoor -- and they are being tried. The other key accused like Abdul Bari alias Abu Hamza and his aides are absconding and are suspected to be hiding in Pakistan. A CID official said, "There are nine suspects. Two of the accused -- Azam Ghori and Syed Aziz -- were killed in separate encounters in Ranga Reddy and Karimnagar."
Charges were framed against the accused on the allegations of attempt to murder, murder read with Sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substance Act and Section 3 of the POTA.CID said there is no criminal conspiracy charge against the four who are being tried.
Abdul Razak, who allegedly has links with the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) was arrested by the Delhi police and he was shifted to Hyderabad. Razak, a native of Nizamabad, had been to Dubai. Saroornagar blast took place on November 21, 2002, killing two persons and injuring 20 others. The terrorists had set off a time bomb near the parking lot of the Sai Baba temple.

Biochemical terror threat to Krishna water supply system

Special Protection Force to protect it

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The Krishna water supply pipeline, water treatment plant and pump houses that supply drinking water to Hyderabad, will now be guarded by the Special Protection ForceThe decision was taken following the warning issued by the state police and intelligence agencies that the pipeline could be blown up by the terrorists or Maoists and there is also a possibility of poisoning the water with biochemical agents. Thirty guards will form an SPF team to protect the water treatment plant and pump houses. The guard would be guarding the pipeline at key points from Nalgonda to Hyderabad. The Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board director (technical), Mr M. Satyanarayana said: “We have asked for SPF protection since we have big installations for water treatment that are worth around Rs 1,000 crore. It can be an easy target for not only the terrorists but also other agents.” The main treatment plant is at Kodandapur near Akkampalli balancing reservoir in Nalgonda district. The pipel ine from the plant to the city is 116 km. Storage reservoirs of total 90 million litres per day capacity are installed at Kodandapur, Nasarlapally, Godakondla, Gungal and Sahebnagar“Intelligence inputs suggest that the water could be poisoned with chemical agents,” a senior official saidEarlier, it was decided that the SPF would be deployed at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). But due to increased threat perception, the state government is likely to rope in the National Security Guard to protect the Tirumala temple. “So the demand for the personnel has come down. It will now be easy to give cover to the Krishna water supply pipeline and systems,” an official said.

IM's Amir Reza and Riya set up shop in Dubai

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Terror groups are using business firms abroad to legalise money flow to their operatives in the country.
Apart from hawala transactions, they are nowadays using legitimate money transfer agencies also to ship funds.
Investigations by sleuths of the counter intelligence wing and Octopus found that terror operatives such as Amir Reza and Riyaz Bhatkal of Indian Mujahideen owned business establishments in Dubai and used them to pump in money.
Reza was the mastermind behind the formation of Indian Mujahiddeen and Bhatkal was involved in twin blasts in the city.
The confession of Mohammed Sadiq Sheik of Mumbai, who was brought here by Octopus, also revealed that IM operatives were involved in business operations.
Sadiq Sheik told the police that Bhatkal and Reza were running a big electronics shop and distribution firm in Dubai.
“I worked a short while for the company,” he said.
“Reza got the license in the name of one Yahiya and the company was named Yahiya Electronics. It was located near Rotana Hotel in Sharjah. Bhatkal was in Dubai and monitored its establishment.” He added that when he returned to India to take up blast operations he received funds through official money transfer agencies.
“They used to receive money for each and every plan including Mumbai train blasts, Hyderabad twin blasts and other terror incidents,” said a senior investigating official. “Bhatkal used to get funds from Saudi Arabia also. Lashkar-eTayyabba was behind entire operations of Indian Mujahideen and they were dealing with all financial transactions.” “There is an urgent need to block the flow of funds to terror outfits through formal channels such as companies and stock market and informal channels such as hawala,” said Mr B. Raman, a counter terrorism expert and former Research and Analysis Wing official.

Andhra link: terrorists in Iraqi Jihad?

U Sudhakar Reddy

The absconding terror suspect, Mohammed Abdul Aziz alias Gidda Aziz, is actively involved in recruiting Hyderabadi youth to wage war in Iraq against the US army.
This was revealed by the arrested terror suspect, Mohammed Nissar alias S.K. Maviya. He told the police that his “guru” Aziz had now shifted his focus to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Earlier, he was active in Bosnia and Chechnya. Nissar, a native of Kishanbagh in the city, said Aziz wanted to take him to Iraq for taking part in the fight against the Americans. But he refused to accompany him and this resulted in a quarrel between the two.
The police produced Nissar before the XIIth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Saturday and he was remanded to judicial custody till May 18. They are also checking whether Aziz, 36, a resident of Shaheen Nagar in RR district, is identical with Abu Abdel Aziz who appeared at a conference of Laskhar-e-Tayyaba at its headquarters in Muridke near Lahore and was praised for his “heroic role” in Bosnia and Kashmir.

Recruits cross Indo Bangla borders

Terror operativesand recruits are finding it very easy to cross the IndoBangladesh border. The terror accused who were arrested recently revealed that they intruded into Bangladesh and returned to India.
Mohammed Nissar, an accused in a terror case, said in his confession to the police: “I along with Gidda Aziz boarded a train to Kolkata and stayed at a lodge. Two persons guided us and we reached a village in the night near the border.
Early in the morning we walked three kilometres and reached a canal. Our guide, who was an old man, told us that we should cross the canal and enter Bangladesh boundary. We crossed the canal and reached a house after walking for an hour and entered Bangladesh borders.” Two other guides took us to a bus station from where we boarded a bus to Dhaka.
Nissar, who had spent a few months in Bangladesh is trained in military warfare. “I took the help of an 18-year-old boy who helped me cross the border again by paying Rs 1,000. He used a boat to bring me into the Indian territory. The route taken for returning from Bangladesh was different.
Later, I reached Kolkata and went to Karnataka,” Nissar confessed.
Police still suspects that terror groups are taking newly recruited youth to Bangladesh for training.
“There are thick forests, dense villages and small rivers across the IndoBangladesh border. It is difficult for the Border Security Force to check the movements at these places. Even in the Task Force suicide bombing case, the Bangladeshi suicide bomber Dhalin crossed the border from Bangladesh.

Seven years after: Lessons not learnt from Parliament attack

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
13th dec 2008
Despite successive governments promising to deal with terrorism firmly, India continues to be an easy target for terror outfits. Seven years after Indian Parliament was attacked on December 13, 2001, the counter-terror measures have not improved much. ‘ Removal of ministers was the easiest part of the post-mortem... There seems to be an attempt to avoid a detailed study ‘ of the deficien- cies in our intelligence
Seven years ago, on this day, the Indian Parliament was attacked by a group of terrorists.
On December 17, 2001, after a heated discussion in the Lok Sabha, the then home minister, Mr L.K. Advani, had dramatically declared that the fight against terrorism had entered a decisive phase.
But seven years down the line, India is still being bled by terrorists. Homegrown terrorists of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) as well as operatives from Pakistan and Bangladesh are carrying out strikes again and again.
And, as the Mumbai incidents proved, terrorists are also creeping into the country’s shores from the sea to carry out brazen attacks.
The Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and the Jaish-eMohammed (JeM) involved in the Parliament attack and Mumbai attacks are still thriving.
And creating a sense of déjà vu, Parliament has once more debated the menace of terrorism and has vowed to end it. In an unprecedented manner, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, apologised to the nation for failing to protect it.
But experts say that if the leaders want to move beyond rhetoric and keep their promise, they have to start doing the essential spadework.
For one, they have to totally revamp the intelligence system in the country. Terrorists continue to strike at the great symbols of India. After Parliament was attacked, they targeted the Indian Institute of Science and then they hit the 400year-old Macca Masjid in Hyderabad.
In several of these cases, “actionable” intelligence was not available. In Mumbai, the sleuths had intelligence, but did not act on it. There are severe lacunae in the whole intelligence network.
“Every day intelligence officials send alarming reports and they are taken as routine affair,” said Dr S. Subramanian, former director-general of the National Security Guards (NSG) and founder of the Special Protection Group (SPG). “There is no accountability.” The Border Security Force, Director General, Mr M.L. Kumawat, who also served as Union home secretary, said there was urgent need to upgrade and augment the intelligence network.
“We have busted at least 182 terror modules this year,” he said. “But we should have busted more. For this, the intelligence network should become more modern.” Experts feel that even after the Mumbai blasts, there is no concerted attempt to enquire into the deficiencies of intelligence gathering.
“Removal of ministers was the easiest part of the postmortem,” said Mr B. Raman, former additional secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). “But there seems to be an attempt to avoid a detailed study of the deficiencies in our intelligence and counterterrorism apparatus. Public pressure should be kept up on the government to hold such an inquiry.” One major flaw has been the lack of coordination among the various intelligence agencies and the absence of mechanisms to share information.
“After 9/11, we have been holding joint counter-terrorism exercises with agencies of many countries,” said Mr Raman. “But there is no coordination between various agencies within the country.” “The responsibility of an intelligence officer does not stop with his sending a memo or a note; there should be follow-up action,” said the South Asian Analysis group director, Dr S. Chandrashekaran.
The next most important aspect is real-time physical security.
“Terrorists can strike anywhere. They should be denied opportunities to cause damage,” said Dr Subramanian.
It is commonplace to say that suicide attacks cannot be prevented since the perpetrator is not afraid to die. But experts disagree. They say that strong preventive measures as adopted by Israel can deter suicide attacks too. “Israel is surrounded by 13 enemy countries but it is still surviving,” said a senior police officer. “The modus operandi of suicide attacks in the sub-continent is also similar. They can be nipped in the preparatory stage.” The role of “non-state players” is also important. For instance, fishermen in Mumbai informed the police about the landing of a suspicious group, but the cops did not act on it. Similarly, hotels and lodges can inform the police about suspicious characters.
“The preparedness of police and security agencies must be on a war scale as the terrorists are waging a war against the country,” said Mr Kamal Kumar, former director of the SVP National Police Academy.
Further, there is urgent need to improve security along the border as well as the coast.
The Indo-Nepal border is also porous and the ISI is sending in operators via Kathmandu.
After securing the fortress, India should launch a major diplomatic initiative to prevent Pakistan and Bangladesh from allowing terror groups to flourish.
“We have to stop the flow of funds and weapons to terror groups,” said an officer of the counter intelligence cell of the AP Police.
Many states including AP have decided to set up special units to fight terrorists after the Mumbai attacks. “There is also an urgent need for a new Central agency,” said retired director-general (security), Mr R. Swaminathan.
And experts say in one voice that the terrorists who are arrested should be given exemplary punishment. “The law should be a deterrent and we should make it certain that the perpetrators are punished,” said Dr Subramanian. “In many cases, they are acquitted. In others, the trial goes on for years. This cannot be allowed.”

Lumbini and Gokul Chat blasts: Indian Mujahideen's Riyaz planted bombs

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Riyaz Bhatkal of the Indian Mujahideen had planted bombs at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park on August 25 last year in the city, according to a terror suspect.
Police sources said the Mohammad Sadiq Sheikh, who was arrested from Mumbai on September 23 confessed to a city police team that Bhatkal who was behind the Hyderabad twin blasts.
Bhatkal alias Roshan Khan is still absconding and he is suspected to have underworld links with Mumbai.
A senior police official said, “Sadiq said that Riyaz Bhatkal told him before the twin explosions, ‘Hyderabad me kuch karne ka hi (we will have to do something in Hyderabad)’. After twin explosion Riyaz told him: ‘Hyderabad me kaam hogai (the work is done)’.”
The terror suspect Riyaz Bhatkal, who is alleged to have planted the bombs at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park on August 25 last year came to the city after the May 18 Macca Masjid blast.
City and state police teams are now in Mumbai grilling terror accused, Mohammad Sadiq Sheikh, who had revealed that Bhatkal placed the bombs in the city.
“The handler of Indian Mujahideen module is Amir Raza Khan of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. Sadiq has also been trained in pakistan. Riyaz Bhatkal is native of Karnataka. After interrogation, it is emerging that Karnataka is the hub of these terror modules,” said the investigating officer.
Riyaz Bhatkal is the key operative involved in handling the explosive materials and the Hyderabad twin explosion are suspected to be a revenge act, he was suspecting that Mecca Masjid blast was the handiwork of some anti Muslim forces.

(Exclusive. The story first broke by Deccan Chronicle on September 30th 2008)

AP Police track hawala- terror link

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Police is trying to trace the hawala network through which terror operatives get funds from their handlers abroad.
The anti-terror agency of the state, Octopus, has got alerts from Mumbai and Delhi on the hawala connection of the Indian Mujahideen.
“We have noticed huge fund transfers to some suspects and their families from Saudi Arabia, UAE and the United Kingdom,” said a senior intelligence official.
“We are verifying them,” the official added.
He added that police was also checking the funding mechanism of organisations based in the Old City.
“We are checking fund transfers to organisations such as Darsgah Jihad O Shadhat, Therek Thafuz Shere-E-Islam, Saleem Mujahid Trust, other trusts, madrasas, and minority educational institution,” he said.
Investigations in Delhi had revealed that Indian Mujahideen terrorists had links with Dubai based hawala operators.
“Hyderabad was the hub of hundi business for years,” said the intelligence official.
“Several city youth based in Gulf countries are involved in hawala operations.” “Terrorists using hawala route for funds is nothing new,” said the commissioner of police, Mr B. Prasada Rao.

SIT awaits SIMI's Nagori's questioning

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Student Islamic Movement of India leaders Safdar Nagori, Qaumruddin Nagori and Adnan will be brought to the city by Special Investigation Team for questioning.
The Special Investigation Team has decided to file petitions for prisoner transit warrant to arrest the accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case.
Safdar Nagori, Quamruddin Nagori and Adnan were named accused in the case registered by the Gopalapuram police station.
Police says the trio came to the city thrice and met Moulana Abdul Aleem Islahi and Mufti Abu Basher and participated in several secret meetings.
They will be questioned about the twin explosions as well as the Simi network in the city.
“We want to bring Raziuddin Naser and Simi leaders together for the interrogation,” said an investigating officer.
The other accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case, Muhatasim Billah, and Mohammed Muqeemuddin alias Yaser confessed that Nagori and Adnan came to the city along with Abdus Subhan alias Tauqeer.
Mohammed Baleequiddin alias Jaber, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, also told the police that he and his brother took part in the meeting held by the Nagori’s and Toukheer in which ways to spread jihadi activities were discussed.
In 2005, Adnan came to the city again along with the Nagoris and met Aleem Islahi and Mufti Abu Basher.
They spoke about a meeting at Ujjain and about the floating of a new organisation suspected to be the Indian Mujahideen

Ghori's IMMM inspired Indian Mujahideen formation?

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
Anti-terror experts have claimed that the Indian Mujahideen was formed with the inspiration of AP’s Jihadi leader Azam Ghori’s Indian Muslim Mohammedi Mujahideen (IMMM).
Ghori, who was allegedly trained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, was killed in an encounter in 2000 at Jagityal in Karimnagar.
The IMMM was responsible for several blasts in the state at the behest of the Laskhar-E-Tayyaba (LeT). A senior police officer said, “We strongly suspect that hardcore activists of Simi, who floated the IM, were inspired by the IMMM.
The group was involved in four murders and exploding bombs in three cinema halls at Begumpet, Nizamabad and Karimnagar in 2000.” He added, “Ghori closely worked with another terror operative Abu Hamza. Ghori, who served the Peoples War Group, was injured in an encounter and took shelter in Saudi Arabia. He was recruited by the LeT and trained in Afghanistan.” In an earlier case, 16 IMMM operatives were convicted in a conspiracy case and sentenced to life for murdering businessman Mahaveer Prasad Modi in the city.
Meanwhile, Raziuddin Naser, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, the former chief of TTSEI, had confessed that he opted to fight US soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to sources in the police headquarters, Naser’s offer was rejected by his handlers in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
A police officer said, “Naser, who went to Saudi Arabia, left for Pakistan and received training in bomb making along with DJS chief Mehboob Ali’s grandson Najiullah. He came here in June 2007 and after the twin explosions fled to Hubli.” A city police officer probing the twin blasts said, “Naser was arrested in Hubli by Honnali police. Now the investigations are leading to Hubli and Udupi in Karnataka where the bombs were prepared. Now we have to verify all these links.”

Terror mails traced to Saudi Arabia

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Terror emails sent to local television channels in the city were traced to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the police said.
Hoax calls on bomb threats were traced to the United Arab Emirates.
A senior city police officer said, “An email that was sent to a television channel threatening bomb blasts in Telangana districts was from Saudi Arabia. One of the calls was even traced to Fujairah in the Emirates.” Police said the aim of the callers was to create panic in the city.
“For all these years, the hoax calls were from the city. Now they have crossed international borders. Terror elements based in Saudi Arabia may have made the calls,” an official told this correspondent.

Did Azam Ghori's IMMM inspired Indian Mujahideen?

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

1. Anti-terror experts have claimed that the Indian Mujahideen was formed with the inspiration of AP’s Jihadi leader Azam Ghori’s Indian Muslim Mohammedi Mujahideen (IMMM).
2. Raziuddin Nasir

Ghori, who was allegedly trained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, was killed in an encounter in 2000 at Jagityal in Karimnagar.
The IMMM was responsible for several blasts in the state at the behest of the Laskhar-E-Tayyaba (LeT). A senior police officer said, “We strongly suspect that hardcore activists of Simi, who floated the IM, were inspired by the IMMM.
The group was involved in four murders and exploding bombs in three cinema halls at Begumpet, Nizamabad and Karimnagar in 2000.” He added, “Ghori closely worked with another terror operative Abu Hamza. Ghori, who served the Peoples War Group, was injured in an encounter and took shelter in Saudi Arabia. He was recruited by the LeT and trained in Afghanistan.” In an earlier case, 16 IMMM operatives were convicted in a conspiracy case and sentenced to life for murdering businessman Mahaveer Prasad Modi in the city.
Meanwhile, Raziuddin Naser, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, the former chief of TTSEI, had confessed that he opted to fight US soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to sources in the police headquarters, Naser’s offer was rejected by his handlers in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
A police officer said, “Naser, who went to Saudi Arabia, left for Pakistan and received training in bomb making along with DJS chief Mehboob Ali’s grandson Najiullah. He came here in June 2007 and after the twin explosions fled to Hubli.” A city police officer probing the twin blasts said, “Naser was arrested in Hubli by Honnali police. Now the investigations are leading to Hubli and Udupi in Karnataka where the bombs were prepared. Now we have to verify all these links.”

Ahmedabad bombs camouflaged as Ghee products

Ahmedabad Bomb Bangalore flower pot bomb

By U Sudhakar Reddy

The boat-shaped bombs used to trigger blasts in Ahmedabad were packed in cartons of milk and ghee products to escape detection.
Ammonium nitrate mixed with emulsifier (slurry) resembles ghee and cheese, and this helped terrorists to use cartons of a private dairy in Gujarat to pack them.
“They kept them in the cartons to claim that they were ghee and cheese in case they were checked,” said a senior police officer working with anti terror unit said. “It was a major deception.” Terror suspects in Surat, who had used two stolen Wagon R cars, had hidden the bomb under cloth bundles.
“In this instance, they were pretending to be cloth merchants,” said the police officer. “Anyone who peeps into car will think that they are cloth bundles. This is all done to avoid checking at the police posts.
Police officers who visited Gujarat also found that one of the unexploded bombs had been wrapped in an English newspaper dated May 21.
Earlier, they found another bomb wrapped in a Gujarati newspaper of May 17, the day before the first anniversary of Mecca Masjid blasts.
“This makes it clear that the terror operatives prepared the bombs in May itself for use in Ahmedabad,” said the cop.
Meanwhile, sleuths are analysing the e-prom chips used in Bengaluru and Surat bombs.
Police confirmed that the bombs used in Hyderabad twin explosions, Ahmedabad and Surat are similar.
In AP the terrorists had wrapped the bombs as gift packets

Two incidents changed face of terror in South India

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Terror recruiters are using the death of Mohammed Mujahid Saleem of Saidabad in a police firing in front of DGP’s office and the arrest of Tehrek Thafuz Shaer-EIslam president Moulana Naseeruddin by Gujarat cops to rope in city youth for their cause.
These two incidents have changed the face of terror in South India and acted as catalysts for the youth to join terror modules, according to the police.
Seditious CDs seized by police and confessions made by the accused in terror related cases have made it clear that propaganda on these two issues was affect ing many youth and turning them into terror operatives.
Muqeemuddin Yasir, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, who was arrested on July 15 in 2008, also told the police that it was the killing of Saleem that provoked him.
Yasir, an MBA dropout, is now lodged in city jail. Karnataka police is likely to question him to get leads on Bengaluru blasts, sources said.
“After Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat riots it was the killing of Saleem that has provoked many youth in the city to join terror network,” said a senior police officer. He added that Raziuddin Nasir, another son of Naseeruddin, and Naziullah, grandson of Darsgah Jihad-O-Shahadat chief Mehboob Ali, went to Pakistan for training angered by the killing.
Naseeruddin was arrested in 2004 in connection with the murder of Gujarat former Home Minister, Mr Haren Pandya.
When the Gujarat police came to city to execute the non bailable warrant of Naseeruddin, SIMI activists lead by Saleem, his brother Mohatsim Billah, Raziuddin Nasir, and Mohammed Rayeesuddin attacked them.
The cops then opened fire and Saleem succumbed to bullet injuries. During the funeral procession of Saleem, mourners attacked police by pelting stones.
They also damaged vehicles in Saidabad. Police said several youth took oath on the body of Saleem to avenge his killing. SIMI leaders including Safdar Nagori and Toukheer also visited the city. “Following the death of his brother Saleem, Billah intensified his activities,” said a police officer.
“He is out on bail now. Adnan of Karnataka visited Hyderabad often and he distributed seditious magazines to these youth.” During the Task Force suicide bombing in 2005 too police found material protesting the arrest of Naseeruddin and terming Saleem a ‘martyr’.
A trust was also started in the name Saleem at Pahadi Shareef. “Motives will change from time to time,” said the Commissioner of Police, Mr B. Prasada Rao.
“The nuclear deal with the US could also be a reason.”

AP Detonator used in Bangalore blasts

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Hyderabad, July 27: The bombs which exploded in Bengaluru on Friday have ‘AP’ marked on them. Anti-terror experts of the State, who visited the IT city on Saturday, said the detonators used in the unexploded bomb in Bengaluru were manufactured in the AP Explosives Limited of Hyderabad.
“APEL detonators are available in many places since the company has a distribution network across the country,” said a police officer. “So we can’t say for sure they were purchased here.” Forensic experts said the attackers used cement moulds resembling flower pots so that the bombs could not be easily identified. “But the use of cement moulds decreased the impact,” said the expert.
Dry Ammonium Nitrate powder was mixed with diesel, unlike the mix of slurry, Ammonium Nitrate and emulsifier used in the twin blasts in Hyderabad in 2007.
In the Mecca Masjid blast an iron container with grooves was used. And unlike in AP, where clocks and mobile phones were used to trigger the bombs, an electronic circuit chip was used as special timer in Bengaluru. Experts are analysing the chip.

Indian Mujahideen threat to Hyderabad police

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, July 27: The terror email sent by ‘Indian Mujahi-deen’ minutes before Saturday’s blasts at Ahmedabad holds a detailed threat to AP. “We warn the Andhra Pradesh government, specifically the Hydera-bad Police, to release the imprisoned Muslim youth immediately, and to be wise with yourselves (sic),” the email read. “We are watching you, and our ground-work to gun you down has already begun. We will be rid of you very soon.”
“We hereby notify you, especially the ATS and the STF and the governments of Madhya Pra-desh and Andhra Pra-desh, to release them all, lest you become our next targets and victims of our next attack,” it said. It warned the states, including AP to “stop harassing Muslims and keep a check on their killing, expulsion and encounters. We warn you of your foolish plots that you plan against us, thinking that you can curb our missions and foil our targets.”
“Wait for the Mujahi-deen and Fidayeen of Islam and stop them if you can. Who will make you feel the terror of Jihad. This is only a opening launch, a beginning,” it said. Police conducted a high-level review meeting on Sunday with officials from the Counter Intelligence, Octopus, City and Cyberabad commissionerates. The city police commissioner, Mr B. Prasada Rao, said, “We are analysing the e-mail. We will take appropriate steps to prevent any incident

Twin bombs of city identical with Gujarat bombs

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, July 27: Bombs defused in Ahmedabad and Surat are identical to those that went off at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat in the city and that defused at Dilshuknagar foot overbridge in August last year.
Anti terror police sleuths of the State who are in touch with their counterparts said curved wooden crates are used to hold the explosive charge in all these cases.
Mr T Suresh a forensic expert of city police who was part of the team that defused the bomb in August 2007 said, "the wooden crate bomb is to hold shaped charge. It works like a directional mine. During explosion the sharpnels will be distribute in all directions. Ammonium nitrate gel with emulsifier is stuffed in the thin aluminium cover and then placed in wooden crate."
Around 1.5 kg of explosive material and 1400 grams of ball bearings are used in the bomb. A nine volt battery was also found in it.
A senior official of State police said, "the wooden crate bombs are similar in twin explosions in the city and that in Surat and Ahmedabad. In the city they are wrapped as gift packets but now they are placed in polythene bags." In Surat a bomb in wooden crate was found at Nupur hospital.
Bengaluru blasts programmed on computer
Regarding Bengaluru blasts the experts say, "the circuit used in the Bengaluru blasts itself acts as a timer. Computer experts may have taken part in the operation as they have to programme these circuit chips. Even in Mumbai train blasts similar chips were used."
Indian Mujahideen warns AP too
'Indian Mujahideen warned State government and Hyderabad police of serious attacks if Muslim youth are arrested in the name of Simi.
Police said the email of Indian Mujahideen before Ahmedabad blast mentioned about AP and Hyderabad.
Earlier email of Indian Mujahideen after Jaipur blast too mentioned the torture of Muslim youth in the city and warned of actions.
Police said, "the latest e mail warns of more attacks in AP and Madhya Pradesh if SIMI activists are arrested."

Pak printed fake currency to Andhra via Bangladesh

By U Sudhakar Reddy/Hyderabad

Fake Indian cur rency printed in Pakistan is reaching Hyderabad and coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in a big way.
The shipments reach the city on air from Dubai , through sea from Pakistan via Gujarat , Mumbai and Kochi , and also make their way through the porous borders between India and Bangladesh .
Police sources say most of the fake currency racketeers are linked either to the ISI, the Dawood Ibrahim gang or Bangla based terror groups.
Police suspect that the money is being used for terror and underworld activities of jihadi groups and gangsters.
The fake currency coming to the state is of high quality and the Reserve Bank of India officials say it is very difficult to distinguish it from the genuine currency printed by the Indian Security press. After keen scrutiny, RBI officials detected slight variations in water mark and thread which are not visible to the naked eye.
It is suspected that fake currency notes of crores of rupees are in circulation in Andhra Pradesh. In the latest instance, counterfeit notes worth around Rs 10 lakh had been slyly introduced in the market.
In the last few years, police has been successful in busting several gangs dealing with fake currency, but this has not ended the flow.
One reason is that several key accused have escaped the police dragnet. Two key racketeers, Aftab Bhatki, a native of Mumbai and Babu Gaithan, a native of Barkas in the city, could not be nabbed. They are both in Dubai and the AP police has sought the help of the Interpol to catch them.
Since the kingpins could not be nabbed, investigation into many cases reached an impasse and the flow of counterfeit notes continued.
In the last eight years, sleuths have pursued 10 major fake currency rackets sponsored by ISI and DCompany and arrested 25 persons. They also recovered counterfeit currency worth about Rs 3 crore.
“The fake currency racket has international ramifica tions,” said the Commissioner of Police, Mr B.
Prasada Rao.
He added that racketeers sometimes threw shipments of currency over the fence in the Bangladesh border when Border Security Force guards were away. “The smugglers reach the city from Kolkata by train,” he said. It is believed that the racketeers take the help of illegal immigrants from Karimnagar, East and West Godavari districts, Nizamabad and Kadapa to smuggle in fake currency on the air route. They are wrapped in carbon papers so as not to be detected by X-ray machines at airports.
In August 2007, police seized counterfeit currency of Rs 2.36 crore and arrested a UAE national and three others from the city. But a kingpin of the racket, Kamlesh, based in Hong Kong , is still absconding.
This consignment was shipped into the country from Karachi in April 2007.
The first shipment arrived in Gujarat. It was the Gujarat police who informed the city police of the Hyderabad link.
According to the police, this was a dry run by the ISI to establish a chain through which fake notes would be brought into Mandvi from Pakistan and spread to different places.
Police are also probing the fake currency angle in the Lumbini and Gokul Chat blasts which occurred in the city soon after the busting of the huge racket.

Andhra Explosives used in Blasts

By U. SUDHAKAR REDDY
Hyderabad, Aug. 27: A licensed dealer who bought a huge consignment of explosives from Amin Explosives Ltd at Nagpur has come under the scanner of the Special Investigation Team probing Saturday's twin explosions, which killed 41 people in Hyderabad.
Rajasree Explosives of Bhongir, about 50 km from here, had bought "Neo Gel 90", a slurry of ammonium nitrate, from the Nagpur firm. This is the same explosive material used in Saturday's bombings.
Contacted over the phone, Nagpur commissioner of police Satyapal Singh told this correspondent: "Two consignments of Neo Gel of around nine tonnes were sent to Rajasree Chemicals and Balaji Enterprises since July this year from Amin Explosives."
Investigations by this newspaper revealed the police had, prior to the blasts, written to the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (Peso) to cancel the licence of Rajasree Explosives, which had been booked in previous cases of violation of rules. No action has so far been taken.
Bhongir deputy superintendent of police V.V. Narasinga Rao said, "In the past one year we wrote to the district collector through superintendents of police thrice asking to cancel the licence of Rajasree Explosives as it was found violating rules. We were told that the collectorate wrote to Peso asking it to take action. So far no action has been taken."
He added, "When we inspected the book balance on explosive sales of Rajasree Explosives at Bhongir, we found that there was fudging of figures. They said they sold 1,500 kg of explosives out of 2,000 kg in stock, but they also said that 2,000 kg was still available."
"It was termed a clerical mistake.A case was registered at Bhongir police station. They got bail the same day after execution of arrest," Mr Narasinga Rao said.
Asked about the recommendation to cancel the firm's licence, Nalgonda district collector Purushottam Reddy said, "We received the communication from the police and wrote to Peso to cancel the licence. We withdrew the NOC a few months ago. As this issue has propped again, we will look into it and see that action is taken."
Peso deputy chief controller A.V. Subba Rao said, "We wrote to the central office at Nagpur to cancel the licence of Rajasree Explosives. The order has to come from Nagpur."
"The collector and the police department can cancel the no-objection certificate if the company is found violating rules," Mr Subba Rao said.
Another firm, owned by relatives of the proprietors of Rajasree Explosives in Karimnagar, had its licence withdrawn by the collector, Mr Subba Rao said.
Peso officials said that Balaji Enterprises at Karimnagar was owned by Rajasree Explosives.
The name of Rajasree Explosives had come up in two cases of seizure of 100 kg of slurry at Vanasthalipuram and Raidurg. But the company was found not at fault.
Vanasthalipuram police inspector Chandrashekar said, "We arrested one M. Ranga Reddy of Vanasthalipuram with explosives on June 29. Ranga Reddy was supposed to use the explosives at a construction site situated near Hitech City. Ranga Reddy had taken the explosives for a licensed user but was trying to sell them to quarries and crushing units. In the investigation we found that the transaction from Rajasree Explosives to the licensed user was legal."
In 2006, after an accident under the limits of Ramanatham police station limits in Tamil Nadu, the police found slurry and a safety fuse from a Tata Sumo.
While tracking the origin of the explosives a police team from Tamil Nadu visited Gautami Explosives Ltd, Saarajpet, in Aleru mandal near Bhongir. Gautami Explosives had sold the slurry to Rajasree Explosives at Bhongir. In turn, Rajasree Explosives had sold it to KE Stores of Calicut, Kerala. "The consignment was diverted from Kerala to Tamil Nadu," an official said.
Bhongir DSP Narsinga Rao said, "The Tamil Nadu police searched Gautami Explosives and found the records legal. So no action was taken."
Rajasree Explosives proprietor Raj Kumar said, "Balaji Enterprises, owned by my brother Vijay Kumar, bought the explosives from Amin. This took place before March. After March there has been no transaction. And Rajasree Explosives did not have any transaction with Amin this year. I don't know how the name of Rajasree Explosives came up."
Mr Raj Kumar said, "The consignment was three to four tonnes and we sold them in Karnataka, Orissa, and Anakapalle, near Visakhapatnam. All are legal transactions. We haven't sold explosives to illegal users."
"The police contacted us and we gave them details. I don't know from where the terrorists got the explosives, from Karnataka or Maharashtra," Mr Raj Kumar said, adding, "I can't divulge details of what the police asked me."
"The consignment also went to Chirag, Karnataka, as per our information. We are trying to find out from Amin Explosives why they mentioned our name. It can be an attempt to divert attention," he said.
Asked about the police asking that his licence be cancelled, Mr Raj Kumar said, "The police didn't consider the purchase bills but were going by the record and booked a case. We have taken up a legal battle. Since the (police) case was not proved, our licence was not cancelled. It is unfortunate that our name is figuring in these incidents," Mr Raj Kumar said. "In the Vanasthalipuram case, too, we are in no way concerned and we sold only to legal dealers," he added.
A Peso official said, "Slurry may have leaked from end users like quarries or crushing units. It could even be from irrigation contractors as well as the Singareni collieries. Usually the manufacture and licensed seller will not resort to illegal sales."
The responsibility of monitoring the sale of explosives to dealers, sub-dealers and end users, all of whom are required to have a licence and maintain detailed records, lies with the police, said a Peso employee.

Private citizens get Bullet Proof cars in Andhra

By U Sudhakar Reddy

More private citizens are making their cars bullet proof prompting the State Intelligence Security Wing to ask the government to come out with regulations on the issue.
The Mana Party President and MLC, Mr Kasani Gnaneswar, is the latest prominent person to make his vehicle bullet proof. Media baron Ramoji Rao has already got three such vehicles.
Sleuths are worried that the trend might catch on and Maoists and terrorists might soon be using such vehicles for their escapades. They also have similar worries about bullet proof jackets.
"At present there is no law regulating the sale and use of such vehicles and we have asked the government to issue regulations," said the Additional Director-General of Police (law and order), Mr A.K. Khan.
Many vehicles have been made bullet proof in the Real Car Auto Garage at Jeedimetla and Deccan Engineering Services at Kavadiguda.
Bullet proof jackets are sold by Coolrok Technologies at Ameerpet. These agencies also do work for the police and are themselves keen on clear regulations in the matter.
The slain Telugu Desam leader, Paritala Ravi, and the TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu had fortified their vehicles in Real Car Auto Garage.
"It takes 70 days to bulletproof a vehicle and the cost comes to Rs 10 lakh," said an employee of the workshop. "We maintain the standards of Terminal Ballistic Research Lab and Bureau of Police Research." He added that the workshop passed on information about such vehicles to the police. "We will never sell the vehicles to anti social elements," he added.
A senior police officer said that ministers and other VIPs of the state were provided with such cars because of the Maoist threat.
"The ordnance factory is unable to meet the demand and we have to depend on private agencies," said the police officer.
The police officer also pointed out that the Viswa Hindu Parishad at Delhi had procured such cars from Secure Mobile India Company Ltd, which has also provided services to the AP police.
Ms Tannistha Chakrborty of Jalandhar-based Laggar Industries said the cost of making a car bullet proof was Rs 7 lakh. "We will secure the vehicle from wheel to roof," he said. "It will move ahead even if shot on the wheel. We need only an application."
However, Mr Venkateswara Sharma of Coolrok said bullet proof jackets were sold only to those who submit letters from the concerned Superintendent of Police.
More private citizens are making their cars bullet proof prompting the State Intelligence Security Wing to ask the government to come out with regulations on the issue. The Mana Party President and MLC, Mr Kasani Gnaneswar, is the latest prominent person to make his vehicle bullet proof. Media baron Ramoji Rao has already got three such vehicles. Sleuths are worried that the trend might catch on and Maoists and terrorists might soon be using such vehicles for their escapades. They also have similar worries about bullet proof jackets. "At present there is no law regulating the sale and use of such vehicles and we have asked the government to issue regulations," said the Additional Director-General of Police (law and order), Mr A.K. Khan. Many vehicles have been made bullet proof in the Real Car Auto Garage at Jeedimetla and Deccan Engineering Services at Kavadiguda. Bullet proof jackets are sold by Coolrok Technologies at Ameerpet. These agencies also do work for the police and are themselves keen on clear regulations in the matter. The slain Telugu Desam leader, Paritala Ravi, and the TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu had fortified their vehicles in Real Car Auto Garage. "It takes 70 days to bullet- proof a vehicle and the cost comes to Rs 10 lakh," said an employee of the workshop. "We maintain the standards of Terminal Ballistic Research Lab and Bureau of Police Research." He added that the workshop passed on information about such vehicles to the police. "We will never sell the vehicles to anti social elements," he added. A senior police officer said that ministers and other VIPs of the state were provided with such cars because of the Maoist threat. "The ordnance factory is unable to meet the demand and we have to depend on private agencies," said the police officer. The police officer also pointed out that the Viswa Hindu Parishad at Delhi had procured such cars from Secure Mobile India Company Ltd, which has also provided services to the AP police. Ms Tannistha Chakrborty of Jalandhar-based Laggar Industries said the cost of making a car bullet proof was Rs 7 lakh. "We will secure the vehicle from wheel to roof," he said. "It will move ahead even if shot on the wheel. We need only an application." However, Mr Venkateswara Sharma of Coolrok said bullet proof jackets were sold only to those who submit letters from the concerned Superintendent of Police.