STF recovers plastic explosive, grenades meant for HuJI militants

Lucknow, July 11 (UNI) In a major breakthrough, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police today recovered a variety of explosives meant for HuJI terrorists arrested last month.

State Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh said the two kg 'P3' type plastique (plastic) explosive was enough to bring down a shopping mall. ''The explosives could have been used for more than one strike,'' he noted.

''We would send it for forensic tests to establish its actual composition.

The DGP said that Harkat-ul-Jehad al Islami (HuJI) area commander Babu Khan and Naushad, arrested from the state capital last month, had identified Aijaz-ul-Rehman, Mukhtair and Akhbar Ali as their operatives. Mukthair and Akhbar are trained snipers and have undergone terrorist traning in Pakistan, police claimed.

The three were arrested from Kolkata and were brought on a transit remand to the UP capital.

It was on their information that a STF team recovered ten hand grenades, nine packets of 'P3' type plastique (plastic) explosive and ten detonators from an abandoned house in Mohanlalganj area on the Rae Bareli road. ''Babu Khan had asked them to wait at the railway station. But as they came to know about his arrest, they hid the explosive in water-proof packing and went back to West Bengal,'' the DGP said.

The explosives were meant to be delivered to Babu Khan and Naushad, who used to equip operatives for strikes.

Coincidently, the explosives were recovered on the first anniversary of the Mumbai blasts.

HuJI is a Bangladesh-based terrorist organisation active in various parts of India.

UNI