Delhi Police says LeT helped SIMI, IM in serial blasts

New Delhi, Sept 20 : Delhi Police on Saturday claimed that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was the "vital link" of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen which were behind the serial blasts in various parts of the country and terror mastermind Atif may have been influenced by Al-Qaida.

Joint Commissioner (Special Cell) of Delhi Police Karnal Singh told media persons, "Atif alias Bashar, who was killed in Friday's encounter in South Delhi, was the main man from Indian Mujahideen and seems to have been inspired by global terror organisation Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden."

"LeT was providing total support to SIMI and Indian Mujahideen," Singh added.

Police has seized laptop of Atif, which contained materials about al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden.

Singh also said that with the arrest of Saif from Jamia Nagar in South Delhi during Friday's shootout and Zeeshan from Jhandewalan of Central Delhi, the serial blasts case in Uttar Pradesh courts last year had been cracked.

"Saif had planted the bomb in Varanasi courts along with Sajjad, suspected to be the main bomb maker of Indian Mujahideen, in November 2007 that left over a dozen people dead," Singh said.

Singh further said that the explosives for the serial blasts in New Delhi had come from Karnataka.

The Joint Commissioner said, "The two terrorists who escaped from Friday's shootout were identified as Shezad alias Pappu and Junaid."

"Earlier when Lashker militants were arrested, the role of ISI used to come to fore quickly," said Singh and added, "Changing their strategy, the LeT started roping in SIMI and Indian Mujahideen operatives."

"LeT is the joining point of SIMI and Indian Mujahideen," Singh further added.

ANI