Trained to survive

The initial training was followed by three months of Daura-e-Khasa. The recruits were trained in dismantling and assembling weapons, in firing, in the use of maps, compass, GPS and live exercises in several guerilla warfare techniques. Training on hideouts, raids, ambushes, storage of weapons and survival training, which included a stay in a forest without food and water for over 50 hours, was also imparted. The intelligence training or Daura-e-Ribat involved lectures on propaganda, intelligence gathering, agent handlers, sub-agents, sabotage, raising agents in an enemy country, surveillance, briefing and debriefing of an agent, rendezvous spots and coded writing.

The next stage of training was a one-month course in preparing improvised explosive devices and detonators. The operatives are trained in the use of chemicals like lead azide, silver azide, mercury filament, hexamine-peroxide and other locally available materials.

Preparing for Mumbai

During the last stage of training, the terrorists were provided training in sea navigation, using inflatable motor-powered dinghies and hijacking routines. Photographs and videos of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway station, Taj Mahal Hotel, the Oberoi-Trident hotels and Nariman House were shown to them. The police are now probing whether the photographs and videos shown to them were the ones taken by LeT operative Fahim Arshad Ansari alias Abu Zarar, who was arrested by the UP Special Task Force in February for the attack on the CRPF centre in Rampur.

The ten terrorists chosen for the suicide squad were also instructed on what directions to give taxi drivers while asking to be taken to the targets. They were provided bogus Indian student ID cards of colleges in different cities, and were asked to dress in western wear to look like students. They were even asked to wear a red string around their wrists to appear as Hindus.

... contd.