The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against three suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives for alleged terrorist conspiracy in the city last September.
Officials said Mohd Abdul Wajid alias Zahed, Samiuddin alias Sami and Maaz Hasan Farooq alias Maaz were charged for their alleged role in raising funds, collecting explosives and carrying out recruitment into the LeT.
NIA probe revealed that the trio were in touch with Farhatulla Ghori, an ‘individual terrorist’ listed by the government of India. They were also allegedly communicating with Siddiqu bin Osman alias Abu Hanzala, Abdul Majeed alias Chotu and other LeT leaders and operatives.
They had aimed to carry out bomb blasts at crowded places in Hyderabad. Ghori, Abu Hanzala and Chotu are based in Pakistan. Ghori recruited Zahed from cyberspace and sent funds to him through hawala channels. Zahed was tasked with recruiting more youth into LeT and carrying out terrorist acts. Sami, Maaz and Mohammed Kaleem were instigated and prodded by Zahed to work for LeT.
Four hand grenades were dropped at an isolated spot near Manoharabad village on Hyderabad-Nagpur Highway (NH-44) on September 28. Zahed got the hand-grenade consignment collected through Sami and gave one grenade each to Sami and Maaz with instructions to hurl it at public gatherings during Dasara. However, they were arrested before the alleged planned attacks could take place. The grenades were recovered from their possession during a search of their houses while ₹20 lakh was seized from Zahed.
NIA unravelled these facts and filed a charge sheet against Zahed, Sami and Maaz under Sections 120B, 153A of IPC, Sections 4, 5, 6 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908 and sections 13, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 38, 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
