The Army camp at Deolali, the Maharashtra Police Academy and the Police Commissionerate in Nashik were on the hit-list of the arrested LeT suspect, Shaikh Lalbaba Mohammed Hussain, Maharashtra ATS said on Monday.
Shaikh alias Bilal, arrested for allegedly preparing for terror strikes in Maharashtra, was staying in Nashik with two fake identities and conducted reccé of these three locations since May on instructions of his aide Mirza Himayat Baig, an senior ATS official said.
The fake identities assumed by 27-year-old Bilal were Amin Manik Parekh and Sutar Iqbal. He has been arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act last week from Nashik.
Baig too has been arrested for his alleged role in Pune's German Bakery bomb blast.
During his stay in Nashik, Bilal was working as CNC lathe machine operator in Satpur industrial area and used to work in shifts, the official said.
“Whenever Bilal had leisure time, he visited these places to get details as what is the area of the targets, how many exit and entry points they have etc,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
They were in ‘early stage’ of the terror plan, the official said, adding photographs of these targets were also seized from them.
Sources further said Baig had received Rs. 50,000 from Mohsin Choudhary, an alleged Indian Mujahideen member, sometime after the February 13 Pune bomb blast.
According to the ATS, Bilal had visited LeT camps in Pakistan between January 2008 and early 2010 where he received advanced training in use of sophisticated weapons and making bombs. He had sneaked into India thrice during the period through the Bangladesh and Nepal borders.
In January, Baig along with Mohsin and Mohammad Ahmed Zarar Siddibappa alias Yasin, another alleged IM member, had held a conspiracy meeting at his Gold Internet Cafe in Udgir in Latur district to select their targets and German Bakery was chosen as it was frequented by foreigners.
Baig was also in contact with Zaibuddin Ansari, an alleged LeT member wanted in 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, the ATS said.
When asked if Ansari was the person, who allegedly spoke over satellite phone to the terrorists at Chabad House in Colaba during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to motivate them, the ATS said it was not yet clear.
“We do not have voice samples of Ansari to match with satellite phone conversation by a handler in Pakistan with the terrorists struck here. It is not right to say that both are same,” the official said.
