Mysore police arrest two Pakistani terrorists after encounter

Mysore/Bangalore, Oct 27 (UNI) In a late night encounter, the Mysore police arrested two Pakistani terrorists belonging to banned outfit 'Al-Badr', who had planned to attack major installations in Karnataka, including the Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat in Bangalore.

The encounter took place well past midnight on the outer ring road of Mysore city where police were waiting for the terrorists following prior information. The terrorists, who had come on a two-wheeler opened fire at the police who returned the fire. The terrorists lost balance and fell and the Police overpowered them.

Director General of Police B S Sial, talking to reporters in Bangalore, said the terrorists had been identified as Mohammed Ali Hussain (24), a resident of Karachi and Mohammad Fahad (24) from Mansher in Pakistan.

The Police have recovered an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, a satellite mobile phone, lap-tap computer containing vital information about the terrorists plans, chemicals to make bombs and CDs containing information.

Letter-heads of 'Al-Badr' outfit and maps containing photographs of Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, offices of the state secretariat, and the Central Institute of Indian Languages building in Mysore, were recovered following a search in the house the terrorists were staying in Mysore.

Mr Sial said initial investigation revealed that Mohammed Ali Hussain, a post graduate in chemical sciences, had entered India via Mumbai eight months ago. The other terrorist Mohammed Fahad, a school dropout, had sneaked into India from Nepal. Fahad was also allegedly involved in a series of terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Two constables were injured while overpowering the outlaws, while one of the terrorists received bullet injuries, Mysore Police Commissioner Pravin Sood said.

Replying to a question Mr Sial did not rule out the possibility of the presence of more associates and also local contacts of the terrorists.

He said the two terrorists had received Rs 12 lakhs from Al Badr headquarters through clandestine banking operations. The terrorists also allegedly had conducted surveys on both Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha and passed on the information to their bosses.

Their interrogation also revealed that they had sought additional logistic support to carry out blasts at the targetted places.

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