LeT identified 4 targets before attacking IISc

Bangalore, Apr 5: The Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists, who attacked Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here killing a scientist and injuring four others in 2005, had initially targetted four places in Bangalore and chose IISc as an important seminar was to be held there.

This was revealed by LeT terrorist Sabauddin alias Saba alias Farhan, who was recently arrested by Uttar Pradesh police and brought to the city last week, after he confessed that he was one of the two people who attacked the IISc. He was also the mastermind behind the terror attack on CRPF camp in Rampur in UP in which eight policemen were killed.

City Police Commissioner N Achyuta Rao told newspersons that Sabauddin was radicalised by banned SIMI organisation and trained in Pakistan by LeT and ISI.

Sabauddin confessed to the city police during interrogation that he along with Abu Hamza, who indiscriminately fired at the delegates at the seminar as they came out and also threw a grenade that failed to explode, had planned the attack at the behest of LeT leaders in Pakistan.

''Shabauddin told us that he and Hamza had identified four targets but chose IISc as an important national seminar was slated to be held at the J N Tata Auditorium on that day,'' Mr Rao said. The Police Commissioner said the 24-year-old LeT terrorist, belonging to Bihar, was radicalised by SIMI in 2002 and was sent for training in Pakistan via PoK. He underwent advanced training in handling all kinds of weapons and explosives and commando training.

He had also met top cadres of Let including Zaki Ur Rehman Haqvi and Chief Operational Commander Muzammil alias Yousuff, Mr Rao added.

Saba was then asked to go to Bangalore and hatch terrorist attacks as such an act would attract the world attention with the city being the destination of global IT majors and witnessing an economic boom, he said.

Mr Rao said Saba came to the city in 2004 and tried to get admission in a college which did not materialise. He returned the next year and joined a college and stayed in a room.

The same year he was asked to collect weapons from Kashmir and later under the directions of LeT bosses went to Kathmandu escorted Hamza the LeT fidayeen.

Before the attack, the two terrorists conducted recceed all the four targets and finally selected IISc. After the attack, both escaped from different routes. While Hamza escaped to Pakistan, Saba escaped to Nepal and went on to become in-charge of LeT in that country. Later, he came back to India and master minded the Rampur attack, Mr Rao added.

UNI