Terror suspect Abdul Kaleem arrested in Hyderabad blasts conspiracy case

HYDERABAD: One more terror suspect, identified as Abdul Kaleem, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the Hyderabad terror conspiracy case of last year. With this, the number of arrested for the alleged conspiracy to carry out blasts and lone-wolf attacks in the city rose to four. It was not immediately clear if the arrest was made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the case, or the Telangana police or in a joint operation.

Three other terror accused including the mastermind of the conspiracy Abdul Zahed, owing allegiance to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), were already arrested after the plot was busted by the Hyderabad police in October last year.

Adbul Kaleem, 39, is named as A7 in the case and charged under sections 17, 18, 18B and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, read with sections 4,5 and 6 of Explosive Substance Act 1908. Kaleem is accused of funding the terror plot and handing over Rs 40 lakh to Zahed.

With the money given by Kaleem, Zahed allegedly purchased cars and motorbikes for the purpose of carrying out several blasts and lone-wolf attacks across Hyderabad. Zahed also reportedly plotted to rock the city with grenades that were smuggled into the country from ‘the neighbouring country’.

The NIA has recently initiated its investigation into the terror conspiracy after registering the case.

Bomb blasts conspiracy in Hyderabad busted last year

After the case was handed over to it, the NIA booked the three arrested suspects for plotting terror attacks in Hyderabad in October last year. They were charged under the stringent UAPA. The key player, Abdul Zahed, is also accused of his involvement in other terror-related cases in Hyderabad.

He allegedly recruited several youths including Mohammad Sameeuddin, Maaz Hasan Farooq, and others on the alleged directions of Pakistan-based handlers belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the NIA stated stated in its FIR last week.

Zahed was arrested earlier for his alleged role in a suicide bomb case in 2005. He was however set free in 2017 for lack of evidence.

According to the NIA, Zahed was motivated by the instructions of his handlers in Pakistan and conspired with his gang members to carry out terror activities including blasts and lone-wolf attacks in Hyderabad.

Zahed was also learnt to have received hand grenades from his handlers from “the neighbouring country". The plan was to throw them at public gatherings and processions in the city to create communal tension, the NIA added.

The Union Home Ministry, while directing the NIA to file a case against the accused, said that the Centre had received information that one person, Zahed, conspired with his gang members as per the instructions of “neighbouring country based handlers" to carry out the terror activities in Hyderabad.