Abu Jindal, Indian link to 26/11, identified
Nikhil Dixit / DNA
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 1:03 IST
Mumbai: Abu Jindal, one of the alleged masterminds of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, has been identified by the intelligence agencies. He is said to be Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, sources in the central intelligence agencies said.
This identification establishes the Indian link in the planning and execution of the terror attacks, for Ansari is an Indian hailing from Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. He is wanted in the Aurangabad arms haul case and also in the plot to assassinate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.
The lone arrested terrorist of the 26/11 terror attacks, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, had said in a statement to the special court that a person named Abu Jindal had taught Hindi to the 10 terrorists. Kasab also claimed that Abu Jindal was among the top functionaries of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Indian intelligence agencies, which have been trying to piece together the jigsaw puzzle, believe that Abu Jindal is Ansari.
According to intelligence sources, they have been able to identify
Ansari based on inputs from arrested terrorists and by matching the voice samples of Ansari and the 26/11 handler who was directing the terrorists through voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP). “We have information that there was an Indian in the LeT control room during the 26/11 terror attacks. Based on intelligence inputs and information provided by arrested terrorists in Kashmir, we believe that the Indian is Ansari, who fled the country in 2005,” said a senior central intelligence officer.
Ansari had escaped when a Mumbai police team had seized a huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives from Aurangabad.
In the raid, the police arrested 11 people who were allegedly linked to LeT and the Students Islamic Movement of India (Simi), but Ansari managed to give them the slip.
“After fleeing from Aurangabad, Ansari went to Bangladesh and from there to Pakistan. He was reportedly last seen in Karachi,” the officer said. According to the police, Ansari also played a key role in an abortive plot to assassinate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.
Abu Jindal, Indian link to 26/11, identified - dnaindia.com