Bengaluru crime branch arrest 5 suspected terrorists for plotting attack in city

Bengaluru police, during the early hours of Wednesday, June 19, arrested five suspected terrorists from a house in the city’s Hebbal region. Police said that they recovered seven country made pistols, 45 live bullets, twelve mobile phones, walkie talkie sets and a dagger, during the arrest.  “During the preliminary interrogation, the suspects have admitted they planned to carry out subversive activities,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner, B Dayananda told reporters following the arrests. As per reports, the five suspects have been identified as Syed Suhel, Umar, Janid, Mudasir, and Zahid. The commissioner said that the five suspects were lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail in connection with a murder case in 2017. They met Thadiyantavide Nazeer, one of the accused in the 2008 Bengaluru blasts, in Bengaluru Central jail. He was also one of the main accused in the Kozhikode twin blasts of 2006. The police official added that five more suspects are absconding and yet to be arrested. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the city police conducted raids in Hebbal and DJ Halli in the city. “Nazeer and Zunaid are the masterminds behind this. Zunaid is hiding abroad and was funding the suspects in Bengaluru,” the Commissioner said. He added that preliminary interrogation of the accused revealed that they along with another accused, who was absconding and is now abroad, were involved in a murder case in RT Nagar in Bengaluru. A case has been registered against the accused in the Hebbal police station and the investigation of this case has been transferred to the CCB unit for further investigation. Police officials said that they could not yet confirm if the suspects were part of a terrorist organisation. Reacting to the incident, former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said that this is part of a larger conspiracy and that the investigation should be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).