Pune traders on Indian Mujahideen hot-list

Mumbai, Oct 14: Pune traders were on Indian Mujahideen hot-list according to Mumbai police. The terror group had planned to kidnap a Pune based builder and a jeweller for ransom to raise funds.

The police claimed to have seized injections among other material from the 11 IM members who were arrested last week. The police had recovered five laptops, three CPU units, the same number of pen drives, anaesthesia injections, two bullet-proof jackets, country-made revolvers and other equipment like radio and Wifi frequency signal detectors, wireless routers and CDs about jihad.

Maria said, "Under interrogation, the accused revealed that they had even done a recce of the two would-be victims" residences. They had planned to kidnap and hold them hostage at the Ashoka Mews apartment in Kondhwa, Pune, where the IM's media wing used to hold meetings with (Riyaz) Bhatkal."

Riyaz Bhatkal, who allegedly founded the IM and is believed to be the mastermind of blasts across the country, is at large. The police said the IM's kidnapping plan failed as there was heavy police bandobast in Pune.

Asked why these hardcore terrorist, who have successfully planted bombs all over the country, would indulge in petty crime like kidnapping, the police said the gang members may have taken cue from the criminal background of Riyaz Bhatkal.

OneIndia News