After Centre's terror goof-up, now Tamil Nadu police blunder

Police in Madurai are at their wits end in trying to find out the exact address of terror accused Mohammad Niaz Abdul Rashid at nearby Melur, arrested in France early this month, as they do not have his photograph.

Police said Niaz had obtained two passports from Tamil Nadu -- one from Tiruchi region, but were not sure from where he obtained the other one, apparently a fake.

Intelligence officials suspect the passports could have been obtained where passport offices were not computerised.

Police said he was an active member of the Jhun Jhunwala militant outfit based in Pakistan. Investigations were on to ascertain how he got in touch them, they said.

Home minister P Chidambaram had said yesterday that Rashid was arrested by French police along with six other suspected Islamic militants on May 10 and French authorities suspect he was recruiting volunteers there for joining a Pakistan-based terrorist outfit.

Officials said they were also verifying bank records here to ascertain if money had been transferred to anyone from Paris, where he had been living for long. They suspect Niaz could have got his Pakistan link either through some outfits in Kerala or Mumbai.

They said he was good at hacking and drawing up software programmes for explosive devices and added that Niaz had visited Melur about three months ago and stayed there for about 14 days when Intelligence officials had followed him.

The officials said police verification for one of his passport had been done at Melur police station in Madurai rural district but that it was unclear who had recommended his other passport.