Gujarat ATS arrests Hizbul operative

The Gujarat Police has prevented a possible terrorist strike in the State with the arrest of a suspected Hizbul Mujaheedin terrorist who was camping here in the guise of a medical camp trainee from Kashmir. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested Bashir Ahmed Baba, alias Ezaj, from Samarkha crossing near Anand on Saturday night when he was waiting to meet an accomplice.

Preliminary investigations by the ATS revealed that Bashir had arrived here from Kashmir on February 20 in the guise of a trainee with the Kimaya Medical Foundation which has nine centres spread all over India. Though Bashir was supposed to have come for training in organising medical camps for special cut lip surgeries, he was found not taking interest in learning. Instead, he was noticed to have suspicious movements near the city’s important landmarks, police said.

Interrogations have revealed that Bashir had conducted recess of various places like the ISRO office, Fun Republic, Kankaria Lake, the railway station, Law Garden and also the Akshardham, DIG (ATS) Ajay Tomar told reporters on Sunday.

Bashir’s arrest has prevented the chance of a serious terrorist strike, Tomar added.

The ATS chief said that it is too early to comment whether Bashir was connected to those arrested last night in Mumbai. The link would be established only after exchanging notes with Mumbai police, Tomar said.

Bashir was apparently on a mission to spotting poor youngsters for sending them over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where they would undergo training in terrorist activities. He had gone to Pakistan twice in 2006 and 2008 to meet his Hizbul Mujaheedin contacts.

After arriving here, Bashir had established contacts with Hizbul Mujaheedin’s top commanders Bilal Shera and ‘General’ Abdullah who are settled in Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the ATS chief Ajay Tomar disclosed.

The police had zeroed in on Bashir following informers’ tip-offs coupled with human intelligence as well as technical intelligence, Tomar said in reply to a question. He did not elaborate further in the interest of investigations.

Three mobile phones, four sim cards, diary, e-mail addresses and visiting cards with Pakistani and Saudi Arabian phone numbers have been seized from 32-year-old Bashir.

He has been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.