The police arrested an Abdul Zahed and two of his accomplices today for conspiring to commit terror acts including blasts and lone-wolf attacks in Hyderabad.
On credible information that Abdul Zahed, a resident of Malakpet, who was involved in several terror-related cases in Hyderabad in the past, had revived his contacts with his Pakistani ISI conduits again, and was conspiring to commit terror acts including blasts and lone-wolf attacks in Hyderabad, the city police arrested two of his accomplices and him today.
On specific information received today that Abdul Zahed along with his associates had received a consignment of four hand grenades and were going to carry out high-profile terror attacks in Hyderabad and other areas of Telangana, the police acted swiftly and apprehended three persons from Malakpet.
They are:
1. Abdul Zahed alias Motu, 39, son of Md Abdul Waheed, of H No 16-11-240, Moosarambagh, Malakpet
2. Mohd Sameeuddin alias Abdul Sami, 39, son of late Mohd Jameeluddin, of H Nos 16-2-855 to 865, G-1, Arman Towers, Akbar Bagh, Sayeedabad
3. Maaz Hasan Farooq alias Maaz, 29, son of Aijaz Mohiuddin, residing at H No 10-3-16/a/1&2, flat No 202 & 203, Royal Colony, Humayun nagar, Mehdipatnam
Police said that Abdul Zahed was previously involved in several terror-related cases in Hyderabad, including a suicide attack on the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner's task force office in Begumpet in 2005. He was in regular touch with Pakistani ISI-LeT handlers, the police claimed.
Three persons are still absconding: Farhatullah Ghori alias FG, Siddique Bin Osman alias Rafique alias Abu Hamzala and Abdul Majeed alias Chotu, all natives of Hyderabad and absconding as they are wanted in several terror cases. They have settled in Pakistan and are now working under the ISI.
In the past, these persons had recruited local youth and radicalised them, and got executed terror attacks including the blast near the Sai Baba Temple in Dilsukhnagar in 2002, a bus blast at Ghatkopar in Mumbai, and the suicide attack on the Task Force office in Begumpet in 2005.
They had also attempted to cause blasts near the Ganesh Temple in Secunderabad in 2004.
Abdul Zahed in his confession reportedly revealed that Farhatulla Ghori, Abu Hamzala and Majeed had revived their contacts with him, and had motivated and financed him to recruit and carry out terror attacks in Hyderabad again. And at the behest of his Pakistan-based handlers, Zahed had recruited Mohd Sameeuddin and Maaz Hasan.
During the search, four hand grenades, which Zahed received from his Pakistan based handlers, were recovered from the possession of the accused. He was planning get the grenades hurled at public gatherings, thereby causing terror and communal tension in the city.
The police reportedly also collected precise information about the clandestine activities of this group and foiled the plans with their timely arrest.
They also seized from Abdul Zahed two hand granades, cash of Rs 3,91,800 and two mobile phones; from Samiuddin one hand grenade, cash of Rs 1,50,000, a mobile phone and a Bullet motorcycle; and from Maaz Hasan one hand grenade and two mobile phones.