Shahzad Ahmad had gone to the capital for a visa to Australia, but was brainwashed by Indian Mujahideen to carry out the Delhi serial blasts.
The interrogation of Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Shahzad Ahmad, arrested on Monday from his native village in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP’s) Azamgarh district, is proving to be an “eye-opener” for the UP anti-terrorism squad (ATS).
This has not only helped ATS piece together the events leading to
the September 2008 Delhi serial blasts and the Batla House encounter thereafter, but also given it an opportunity to understand the transformation of a youngster eyeing a bright future into a terrorist within a short span.
Shahzad, accused of planting bombs at the children’s park at India Gate and Gaffar Market, was hatching a conspiracy to set off serial blasts in top educational institutions, including the IITs and the IIMs.
ATS sources told DNA Delhi serial blasts mastermind Atif Amin “brainwashed” him into joining militancy. The two knew each other from Azamgarh. (Atif was killed with another IM operative Sajid in the Batla House encounter on September 19, 2008.)
“It is amazing to look into the psyche of a young boy who became a hardcore terrorist in a matter of 12 days,” a police officer who was part of the team that interrogated Shahzad, said. “He seems to think perpetrating mindless violence is romantic… for him, it’s just a target to be achieved,” he said.
“All our previous theories about the need for sustained indoctrination and rigorous training to turn someone into a hardcore terrorist have been devastated after hearing his story,” another ATS officer said. “This boy is in his early 20s… these youngsters are so impressionable, they get carried away so easily…”
ATS sources said Shahzad landed in Delhi on September 1, 2008, for a visa to Australia, where he wanted to pursue advanced training and a career in aviation. He had done a basic course in flying from a Bangalore institute. However, 12 days later, on September 13, he was planting bombs. The serial blasts killed 26 people.
Shahzad’s violent streak did not end there. He was also involved in the Batla House shootout. The ATS subjected him to sustained interrogation in the 24 hours it had between his arrest and handover to Delhi Police on Tuesday. Sources said Shahzad was intelligent and proficient with computers. He used a social networking site and code language to keep in touch with the IM network.
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