The Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist had developed contacts in Anand, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Dabhoi.
The arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, Bashir Baba, is said to be a big catch for Gujarat ATS as he was a close associate of top Hizbul Mujahideen leader Bilal Shera.
Bashir, a graduate and diploma holder in computers, was employed as a camp assistant with Kimya Foundation in Srinagar for over an year and has visited PoK twice. The first time he crossed the border was in 2006 and later in 2008 to get terrorist training in PoK.
Gujarat ATS chief Ajay Tomar said, “On Bashir's interrogation, police have come to know that he had close contact with Bilal Shera and his visa for going to Pakistan was arranged by Bilal Shera.”
Bashir, a resident of Renewali area in Srinagar, was arrested by Srinagar police in 2008 with explosives along with another associate Arif Bilkas and a case had also been lodged against him at Karan Nagar police station in Srinagar.
Bashir was assigned the important task of recruiting manpower for training in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on the instructions of Bilal Shera and he used to give regular information about his plan to terrorists in Kashmir and also to Bilal Shera. Bashir had contacts in Anand, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Dabhoi.
The arrest of Bashir has put Gujarat police on tenterhooks, as recently a terror alert had been sounded in five key cities of Gujarat following an intelligence tip-off. Cities marked out for enhanced vigil are Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Jamnagar.
Moreover, in the backdrop of the Pune blast and following reports that the American terror accused, Tahawwur Rana, had visited Ahmedabad and carried out a detailed survey in November 2008, the fear of a terror strike hangs heavy in cities of the state.
Tomar also said that it was too premature to say that Bashir had contact with two terrorists nabbed in Mumbai, who were in a plot to blow up state-run ONGC terminals, a mall and a market complex.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat police have tightened security in the
state ahead of IPL III session. Around 1,000 security forces and officials would be deployed at Motera stadium and hotels where the players would be accommodated. Ahmedabad is going to host four matches from March 15 to 28.
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