LUCKNOW: The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of UP police has retrieved video clips from the cell phones of arrested terror accused Minaz and Masiruddin which highlight the manufacturing process of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the form of pressure cooker bombs like the one which was seized from the house of Minaz.
Both Minaz and Masiruddin have been identified by ATS as operatives of terror outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an auxiliary unit of Al-Qaeda.
The video clips are suspected to have been sent to the two by Jammu and Kashmir based Tauheed and Moosa. Sources said investigations have revealed that Tauheed had transferred money into the account of Minaz for the purchase of a pistol and material for making explosives. The account is also under the police scanner. “We are probing how and under whose influence the two got radicalized,” said an official privy to the probe.
Inspector general of police, ATS, Gajendra Kumar Goswami, who is heading the probe, told TOI that some videos showing the bomb making process have been retrieved from the mobile phones of Minaz and Masiruddin. “Now, the police are trying to elicit information from the arrested terror accused about other members of their outfit,” he added.
“The probe till now has revealed that Minaz was the mastermind of the gang and he along with Masiruddin planned the strikes around August 15 in different parts, while the three others who were arrested on Wednesday Shakeel, Mustaquim and Moid were assisting the duo,” the officer added.
Meanwhile, ATS, Special Judge Yogendra Ram Gupta sent the three arrested accused Shakeel, Mustaquim, and Moid in judicial custody till July 29. The ATS filed an application and also sought the police remand of these accused from the special court.
The court has fixed July 16 for hearing this application. During this, the accused will be present through video conferencing from the jail.
