LeT targeted Madhavan, Kasturirangan

KOZHIKODE: Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had plans to assassinate senior scientists in India, including ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair and former chairman Kasturirangan.

This was disclosed by international terrorist Sarfaraz Nawaz during the interrogation by the Karnataka police.

Nawaz told the interrogators that Jasim alias Tahsin, an LeT terrorist from Pakistan, had mentioned targeting these scientists during a conversation while he was in Muscat.

Jasim also mentioned the names of ‘Alex, Sajivnath, Suresh Kumar and a female Muslim scientist from Uttar Pradesh (a lady scientist working in Agni missile project).

Jasim also mentioned that film star Govinda was also on LeT target list.’ LeT had carried out an attack at the IISc, Bangalore. Nawaz’s statement has detailed accounts of how the terrorists in Kerala operated as per instructions from their leaders in Pakistan and in the Gulf.

According to Nawaz, Wali the LeT leader in the Gulf arranged safe passage to Tadiyantavide Nazeer alias Ummer Haji to Bangladesh after the killing of four Malayalis in Kashmir.

‘‘Meanwhile, Kerala police started arresting the persons involved in the episode and the names of Nazeer, Shafaz, Ibrahim Moulavi and Ayub started appearing in the newspapers.

Wali informed me to instruct Ummer Haji and associates to escape. It is not safe to remain in India and suggested them to flee to Bangladesh.’’ LeT member Saleem made the arrangements for Nazeer in Bangladesh.

Nazeer escaped to Bangladesh via Maharashtra and Kolkata. Saleem gave Nawaz a number (008801191554513) to contact Nazeer who, by the time, had reached Bangladesh.

Nawaz contacted Nazeer many times. The last time he called Nazeer, the latter said he was in Dhaka and that he had kept his family at a safe place in India. Nawaz also revealed that the LeT leaders tried to win over the minds of Indian Muslims by narrating the ‘torture’ Muslims had undergone in the country.

Demolition of Babri Masjid and Gujarat riots were the two main issues raised by the LeT to convince Indian Muslims that they are being persecuted in India.

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