BHUBANESWAR/KENDRAPARA : The Odisha police on Tuesday informed that the Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch is in touch with National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding the arrest of suspected terrorist handler Habibur Rahaman alias Habib. ADG Satyajit Mohanty said the State police will extend all support to the anti-terror agency if the latter needed any information on Habib who was earlier staying at Patkura in Kendrapara district. Mohanty said the NIA had informed Kendrapara police about Habib’s arrest from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as the suspect’s father and two brothers are staying at Patkura. Habib was nabbed by the anti-terror agency on his arrival from Saudi Arabia on August 5.
Police sources said Habib, who is staying at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, has not visited his village for the last 10 years. While his father and two brothers reside at Patkura, his wife was staying in Mumbai. According to police, Habib was an associate of Abdul Naeem, a member of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Naeem, who was arrested by the NIA in 2017, reportedly was an expert in preparing suicide bombers and provide funds to LeT operatives.
On the other hand, family members of Habib expressed shock over his arrest. The family, which resides in Tendakuda village of Patkura, refused to believe that Habib had any links with the terror outfit. The suspect’s father Mir Ainuddin, an 80-year-old retired TELCO employee, said his son is a motor mechanic by profession and has a clean reputation.
“Habib used to work in a garage in Rourkela as a motor mechanic. He left for Saudi Arabia 15 years back to work as a mechanic,” Mir said. The father further said he had last met Rahaman in Mecca in 2004 and came to know that his son was in deep financial crisis after availing several loans. “Six months back, Habib had contacted my younger son and asked him about my health. God will punish him if he is involved in any anti-national activities”, Mir added.