Militants’ target was NSE, BARC, say officials

Mumbai, March 12: A day after the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) gunned down two suspected Bangladeshi militants in an encounter at Kashimira in Thane, ATS officers on Wednesday said the National Stock Exchange building and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in the city were Terror targets.

The ATS also said the two suspected militants were believed to be from the terrorist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), and that the quantity of the explosive substance—2 kg and suspected to be RDX—-recovered from them was sufficient to carry out half a dozen explosions. The ATS also recovered counterfeit currency notes with a value of Rs 10 lakh and two firearms.

According to sources in the ATS, it had received intelligence inputs that three terrorists had crossed over from Bangladesh with the intention of carrying out an operation in Mumbai.

“The two men killed are not major operatives, and are likely to be couriers in the terrorist organisation. We are matching the serial numbers of the fake notes recovered with earlier consignments seized, and are doing the same with the suspected RDX. The 2 kg of suspected RDX can easily be used to carry out six blasts,” said Joint Commissioner of Police, ATS, Hemant Karkare.

“The two men killed in the operation have been identified as Mohammed Ali, a Bangladeshi national from whom we have recovered a passport, and the other is one Babu, who is also believed to be a Bangladeshi. We suspect they might have been HuJI members,” said Karkare.

“According to our information, Ali had crossed over from Bangladesh two to three days ago, and came via Kolkata to deliver the explosive substance to Babu. We do not yet know much about where Babu was staying in the city or for how long,” said Karkare.

“About 15 to 20 days ago, we received specific intelligence that some people had crossed over from Bangladesh, and that the NSE and a nuclear installation in the city were to be targeted. These two men might have other accomplices at large, and searches will be conducted at suspected hideouts in the city,” added Karkare.

According to the ATS, no linkages have been established between the two men gunned down and alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Fahim Ahmed Ansari alias Abu Zarar, who had claimed to have conducted recces of a dozen sensitive spots in the city.

Fahim was arrested with seven other alleged LeT militants in Lucknow by the UP Special Task Force on February 10, in connection with the attack on the CRPF camp at Rampur on New Year’s night. He was brought to the city by the UP STF for two days and taken back.

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