The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday said that 13/7 blasts accused Haroon Naik was a core committee member of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) and is in the league of Riyaz Bhatkal and Subhan Qureshi.
ATS chief Rakesh Maria said Naik had undergone rigorous terror training in Pakistan and had fought for the al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. He had also handled operations of the IM from Saudi Arabia.
“Naik is a very important member of the IM. He was a part of the core committee. In the IM hierarchy, he is even senior to Yasin Bhatkal, and figures in the top three operatives of the terror outfit. Earlier, he was a part of the Azam Cheema group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT),” said Maria.
Maria said that Naik had undergone both the Daura-e-Aam and Daura-e-Khaas training imparted by the LeT in Bahawalpur camp in Pakistan.
“He wanted to fight jihad in Afghanistan. In early 2001, he undertook a 15-day advance course called Bait-e-Rizwan. After completing the course he went to Kandahar to fight for the al-Qaeda,” he said.
According to Maria, Naik crossed over from the Wagah border on a Nepali passport to Pakistan in 2005. “We have evidence to prove his cross over,” he said.
The 35-year-old Naik had been earlier nabbed from the Mumbai International Airport on charges of possessing fake currency notes on August 22 last year and since then was lodged in jail.
Naik, who was born in Kurla, did his initial schooling there and then studied in Malegaon. He returned to Mumbai and stayed in Cheetah Camp where he got in touch with Riyaz Bhatkal and Tariq Ismail.
Maria said that he was lately handling operations of the IM from Saudi Arabia and had arranged funds used in the July triple blasts.
“We are investigating whether Naik was instrumental in funding of every blasts orchestrated by the IM since 2005,” he said.
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