Intensifying the crackdown on the"terror module" busted in Karnataka, police have arrested five moresuspects in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, as a probe showed that a nuclearinstallation and several defence establishments were targeted for attack.
With the arrest of the five suspects--four in Nanded and onein Hyderabad--who allegedly had links with the 11 people held by the Bangalorepolice, the number of those detained in the terror plot rose to 16.
The eleven persons including a journalist and DRDO scientistarrested by Bangalore police earlier this week were suspected to have linkswith with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) andHarkat-ul-Jihad-Al-Islami (HuJI) and were allegedly plotting to target MPs,MLAs and mediapersons in Karnataka
Maharashtra ATS arrested four terror suspects from Nandeddistrict for their alleged links with the arrested persons in Karnataka, an ATSofficial said in Mumbai today.
"We have arrested four persons, who have links with theterror suspects arrested in Bangalore," ATS chief Rakesh Maria said.
However, Maria refused to divulge any further details.
According to police sources, following the arrest of theterror suspects in Bangalore by the local police, they had shared someinformation with Maharashtra ATS officials, which has resulted in the arrest ofthe four persons.
The four suspects were picked up from various parts ofNanded district in the past two days following a tip-off about their possibleinvolvement in terror activities.
Bangalore police arrested a youth in Hyderabad yesterdaywith alleged links to LeT and HuJI.
21-year old Obedulla-Ur-Rehman was arrested on the basis ofinformation given by the 11 terror suspects taken into custody in Hubli andBangalore earlier this week, Police Commissioner Jyotiprakash Mirji toldreporters in Bangalore.
"Obedulla-Ur-Rehman along with others had conspired tokill two corporators and one prominent leader of a Hindu organisation ofHyderabad," Mirji said.
During interrogation, those arrested in Karnataka on Thursdayconfessed that the module had planned to attack a nuclear installation andvital navy and army establishments located in South India following directivesfrom their LeT and HuJI handlers based in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, governmentsources said in Delhi.