The Hindu : New Delhi News : Alleged militant held in Delhi

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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Alleged militant held in Delhi

Staff Reporter

He was wanted in a case registered in 2001

Habib told the police that he had undergone training in weapon handling
The module had conducted surveys of crowded places and markets in the Capital

NEW DELHI: An alleged Harkat-ul-Mujahideen militant Habib-ur-Rehman, carrying a reward of Rs.25,000 on his head, has been arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police at Sarai Kale Khan here.

The accused was wanted in a case registered in 2001 following the arrest of two Pakistani militants and recovery of explosives.

The Special Cell had in September 2001 arrested two Pakistani nationals — Maqsood Ahmed and Mohammad Sayeed with 2 kg of RDX, two detonators and a hand grenade. Later, another consignment of 6 kg RDX was seized from the Okhla hideout of Maqsood.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Alok Kumar, the two militants disclosed that two more persons, Ashad Hilal and Habib-ur-Rehman -- both residents of Moradabad in U.P. -- were part of the module. While Ashad Hilal was arrested last September, Habib remained at large. Maqsood and Sayeed were convicted by the court in March 2006.

On Monday, a team under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police L.N. Rao learnt that Habib would come to the Inter-State Bus Terminus at Sarai Kale Khan to meet someone.

The Special Cell sleuths laid a trap and arrested Habib in the evening. During interrogation, Habib purportedly disclosed that he had fled to Haldwani in Uttarakhand after the arrest of Maqsood and Sayeed.

He told the police that he had undergone training in weapon handling and manufacturing of improvised explosive devices at Mansera in Pakistan occupied Kashmir way back in 1999.

Habib allegedly revealed that he and Ashad met Maqsood at Zakir Nagar in South Delhi and arranged a hideout for him in Okhla.

They also met Sayeed and made arrangements for his travel to Jammu and Kashmir to receive a consignment of explosives that was later seized from Maqsood’s hideout, said the police.

The module had then conducted surveys of crowded places and markets in different parts of the Capital to fix their target, but the plan was foiled with the arrest of the Pakistani militants, the police added.

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