City cops arrest key terror suspect, aides

‘Bada Sajid’ was train blasts bomb maker

MUMBAI: As part of a major countrywide operation directed by the Intelligence Bureau, the Mumbai crime branch has nabbed a major terror suspect, alleged to be part of the Indian Mujahideen-Students Islamic Movement of India network, and at least a dozen of his associates in the 24 hours before Wednesday evening. Police in several neighbouring States are also reported to have picked up several terror suspects in the coordinated raids.

Police sources identified the main suspect as Bada Sajid and claimed he was a key strategist and bomb maker involved in the Mumbai train blasts of 2006, and the recent blasts in Ahmedabad (July 26) and New Delhi (September 13). The raids followed the interrogation of suspected IM cadres arrested earlier by the police.

Citing the sensitive nature of the case and the fact that investigations were at a crucial stage, senior officials refused to divulge further details but confirmed the arrests.

Earlier in the day, a top team of senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials arrived in the city to take stock of the situation. A high-level coordination committee meeting was held in the evening at the office of the DGP, Maharashtra, which was attended by top IB, State and city police officials.

Several teams of the crime branch have fanned out to various parts of the state to trace other members of Simi and IM, the sources further added.