HYDERABAD: Mohammed Saifullah, the terror operative killed in an encounter by Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) in Lucknow, was tech-savvy having knowledge of operating various mobile-based applications using the latest encrypted device tools to avoid being tracked down by the investigating agencies. All his tech smartness, however, proved too little before the Telangana intelligence sleuths, who had been on the trail of terror operatives since they got wind of some youngsters planning to join ISIS modules.
According to sources in the state intelligence agencies, terror operatives in the past used Telegram and WhatsApp for communicating among themselves. Later, they have updated their skills by designing latest messenger applications for smartphones that are completely encrypted versions. “Similar apps were used by Mohammed Saifullah for his regular communication with his associates,” officials said.
The Telangana police, experts in cyber crime control, are said to have decrypted the specially-designed messengers used by terror suspects and handlers, and decoded their secret messages.
Sources said that the ATS teams, which shot dead Saifullah, recovered six mobile phones and a walkie-talkie set from the scene of encounter. Of the six phones, four were smartphones in which specially-designed mobile messenger apps were installed.
“Earlier, terror suspects and handlers have been using Telegram app for their communication. In recent times, cyber crime experts of intelligence and counter intelligence cell (CI Cell) have noticed that the terror suspects are updating their technology by designing latest apps for smartphones for their regular communication,” sources said.
The sources explained that Saifullah’s smartphones had the latest messenger apps that were fully encrypted and had separate tools that did not allow the text of conversation sent to servers. However, the cyber experts of the state police succeeded in decoding the messengers.