KOZHIKODE: Security agencies have zeroed in on a former SIMI leader from Malappuram, who is suspected to be the link between the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and former PDP workers in Kerala who flocked under Indian Mujahidheen after Abdul Nazar Madhani had been jailed.
Shuhaib, who was the SIMI leader at PSMO College, Thirurangadi, has been identified as the one among the suspects who brought extremists like E T Sainudheen and Thadiyantavide Nazeer close to LeT. It was Shuhaib who asked Sainudheen to meet Riyaz Bhatkal at Kuttippuram.
Shuhaib, hailing from Parappanangadi, used to give financial assistance to Sainudheen. A relative of the SIMI leader had a shop in Parappanangadi from where Sainudheen procured equipment used for making pipe bombs.
In December, 2007, Shuhaib had called up Sainudheen from Dubai to inform him that a person will meet him at the Kuttippuram railway station. It was this meeting that paved the way for the coordination between bomb-making expert Sainudheen and IM cofounder Riyaz Bhatkal.
Shuhaib is a major link in the SIMI network in the Gulf countries which is controlled by C A M Basheer, former SIMI national president.
Sources said Sarfaraz Nawaz, who was picked up by the Indian intelligence officials from Oman, is another important link between LeT and Malayali extremists.
A former office secretary of SIMI in Delhi, Nawaz was in touch with many of the top leaders of the outfit while working in the Gulf.
Sources said Nawaz is more dangerous than Nazeer as he is considered to be an ideologue of the banned organisation. They said Madhani's statement on Monday that there could be some persons in the state who connected elements like Nazeer to LeT could be true and added that from now onwards, the probe should move in that direction rather than revolving around Madhani and family.
Soofiya arrest: Cop awaits HC nod
KOCHI: Soofiya Madhani, the tenth accused in the Kalamassery bus-burning case, will be arrested on Thursday if the High Court rejects her anticipatory bail application. A meeting of top police officials, including IG Vinson M Paul and Commissioner Manoj Abraham, in Kochi on Tuesday decided to arrest Soofiya under any circumstances, if the court verdict is favourable. Top officials said that she will be arrested from the place where she is at the time of the verdict.