Delhi Police officials believe Atif alias Bashir, the 24-year-old from Azamgarh who was killed in the encounter on Friday, was the main organiser of the Indian Mujahideen’s recent activities, in coordination with most-wanted Abdus Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqeer.

Sources said Atif may have held charge of Indian Mujahideen operations — a different group recently formed — while SIMI supervised the blasts under Tauqeer for the last two months.

“Tauqeer was the link between Atif and Abu Bashar, who is in Gujarat police custody. With intelligence agencies’ help, the Ahmedabad police probe and interceptions, we have come to know that Tauqeer was asked by SIMI’s top shot (Safdar Nagori) to contact Atiq. Atif’s number was left at Tauqeer’s Mumbai Meera Road residence six months back, after which Tauqeer contacted Atif in Delhi and they carried out the operations,” said a top source.

Delhi Police say Tauqeer was in Delhi two days before the Saturday blasts and had receed the places with Atif. “After the blasts, they took autorickshaws and buses and came here to this flat. After the first blast, Atif sent an SMS to Tauqeer, who had reached Mumbai by then, and then Tauqeer sent a mail to the media,” said a source.

Till the Ahmedabad blasts, Bashar was reportedly aware of the Delhi blasts but did not know anything about Atif and his “module”, said a police official.

“Atif was asked to make bombs, arrange members and then plant bombs. He had around 12 persons in his module even before the Jaipur blasts. They all were in Jaipur on July 13. Also, before the Ahmedabad blasts, Atif along with nine others, including a 14-year-old boy, went to the city on July 24,” said a source.

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