A software professional, a computer graduate, a mechanical engineer, an MNC data entry clerk, an air-conditioner mechanic — they are all in Surat police custody for their alleged roles in the Ahmedabad terror strikes and the failed Surat bombs. Speaking to The Indian Express, these men claimed they were “emotionally blackmailed”, “brainwashed” and “used” by the serial blasts kingpins. They said they were kept “separate from each other” for the mission, unaware about others in the plot — in some cases, they were stunned when police hauled in men they had known but never thought were also involved.

• Mohammed Mansur Asgar Peerbhoy, the 31-year-old who worked as principal software architect with a multinational company and drew an annual salary of Rs 19 lakh, has been accused of sending terror mails. He was allegedly part of the group under Riyaz Bhatkal who remains at large.

“I have a BE in Computer Science from Pune. One of my friends took me to a religious meeting and that was where I first saw Bhatkal. He acted as the Mufti and talked to us about Islam. Gradually, while attending more of these meetings, we came into direct contact with him. Soon, when we would not turn up at these meetings, he would call us and force us to be there. We got close to Bhatkal, he would weep before us, scream that innocent Muslim brothers were murdered in the 2002 Gujarat riots. He would indoctrinate us in a way that there was little left in life to hope for, that someone had snatched everything from us. I never realised he was blackmailing me emotionally. We soon stopped thinking, simply working according to his instructions,” Peerbhoy said.

... contd.