The Central agencies probing the Mumbai blasts have got vital links to indicate the collected footprint of the Indian Mujahideen and the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) in the Mumbai blasts that killed 19 people and injured several others. According to sources, the IM either outsourced the Mumbai blasts to HuJI or sought their help in the operation. “After 26/11, with Pakistan under the scanner for their role in sheltering handlers and perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage, the IM had started conducting training camps in Bangladesh,” said an IB source.
In 2010, during the interrogation of an IM operative, it came to light that IM founders Riyaz Bhatkar and Amir Raza had given specific instructions that youth be recruited for certain operations. “However, as their cadres were hesitant to go to Pakistan for training, they decided to make Bangladesh their new hub,” said the source, adding, “In Bangladesh, it could be easy for them to get the support of HuJI. Hence it is very likely that HuJI cadres might have been used as foot soldiers in the Mumbai blasts,” said the source.
Penetrating India from Bangladesh is much easier, as its only a few hours drive from the cities of West Bengal. Further Raza, a co-founder of IM is from Kolkata and he is well aware of the topography of West Bengal. He also points out that financial transactions in Kolkata are much easier as it is considered to be the hub of hawala transactions. “There has to be some give and take between HuJI and IM,” he said.
According to the sources, during the interrogation of Danish, the IM operative who was arrested in June, from Baroda for his alleged role in the Ahmedabad blast had said that IM was facing a financial crunch. At this point their handlers had directed one of the operatives from West Bengal to generate money by extorting businessman in Kolkata.