Lakhvi calls the shots in Lashkar, Tunda tells cops

Lakhvi calls the shots in Lashkar, Tunda tells cops ‘26/11 Planner Active From Rawalpindi Jail’ Dwaipayan Ghosh TNN  New Delhi: Arrested terrorist Abdul Karim Tunda has told interrogators that Mumbai attacks mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was managing the affairs of Lashkar-e-Taiba from jail while the terror outfit’s chief, Hafiz Saeed, had taken on the role of a guide and motivator.      Lakhvi has been in jail for the 26/11 attacks since December 7, 2008, and is currently lodged in Rawalpindi prison. According to Tunda, he still runs the show at LeT, raising questions about the nature of Lakhvi’s detention.     Tunda has been nursing a grudge against Lakhvi ever since the two had a spat — well known among security agencies — over distribution of finances.     Agencies aren’t taking Tunda’s words at face value and will verify his claims. But they say the 70-year-old is a walking encyclopedia on LeT’s pan-India operations. During interrogation, Tunda said he had sought the intervention of Pakistan’s ISI over his differences with Lakhvi, but was told that he was aging and should take up another role — that of a “motivator”, since Tunda had exemplary “motivational qualities”. Sources claim that Tunda set up three madrasas — Mehdus-Taleem-Islam-e-Dar-Al-Funoon madrasas — under this “compromise” formula.     Tunda also claims to be close to Dawood Ibrahim, who is holed up in Karachi, and the entire ISI set up. “He first met Dawood in Karachi, when he was invited to the don’s residence in 2002. Thereafter, Tunda made various ‘courtesy calls’ but we believe Dawood was looking at Tunda to push both men and materials into India since his own movements were restricted and monitored by intelligence agencies,” an official said.     Officials said Tunda brought up the subject of his differences with Lakhvi several times. Despite played a key role in LeT’s pan-India operations, Tunda was bitter about not being able to wield a bigger influence in the terror outfit.  THE BOMBER SINGS What terror mastermind Abdul Karim Tunda has told cops so far On Dawood Ibrahim | Most wanted don holed up in Karachi “with the whole ISI paraphernalia”. Tunda claims to have been invited to Dawood’s residence in 2002. Then made several “courtesy calls” in subsequent years On Delhi plan | Tunda tried to sneak in explosives to Delhi and Punjab just before the Commonwealth Games in October 2010 in league with Babbar Khalsa Intl. Plan foiled as operatives were arrested Bodh Gaya blasts | Role of Tunda and Lashkar-e-Taiba in July 7 Bodh Gaya blasts apparent. Tunda was looking to recruit disgruntled Rohingyas from Myanmar to target Buddhists. He has given cops names of some Rohingya leaders Cops to probe Tunda’s links with AP ultras Tunda Reportedly Trained Several Terrorists, Including Dilsukhnagar Blast Accused  Hyderabad: Terror suspects Syed Maqbool and Mirza Qasim Baig are reportedly among the many from the state who indirectly benefited from the skills of alleged bomb-maker Abdul Karim Tunda, who was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border area on Friday. Maqbool is an accused in the recent Dilsukhnagar twin blasts.     Tunda, who is aligned with several terror outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), reportedly trained slain terrorist Azam Ghauri in making bombs, who in turn passed on the skills to Maqbool and a few others.     Sources in intelligence told TOI that Ghauri had trained several like-minded persons in 1990s and Maqbool and Qasim Baig, who were convicted for killing members of right-wing orgainisations, were among them. His bomb-making skills helped Maqbool emerge an important player in the Indian Mujahideen (IM), which is strongly suspected to be an offshoot of the LeT.     Maqbool allegedly taught some IM members about how to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using locally available material in Aurangabad in 2012. Incidentally, it was Tunda who masterminded the technique and taught many extremists, including Azam Ghauri.  “Maqbool and his associates never had direct contact with Tunda, who had trained young indoctrinated youth like Ghauri in preparing bombs with locally available materials like urea, nitric acid, potassium chloride, nitrobenzene and sugar and planting them at crowded places to cause maximum casualties. This has been the trademark style of LeT and now IM,'' the investigators said. It appears that the state police are least interested inTunda's earlier offences in the city, but were keen on questioning him about the recent twin blasts at Dilsuknagar.     The sources said Tunda was facing five cases in the city and all these were being investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Crime Station (CCS). However, deputy commissioner of police (CCS) LKV Ranga Rao claimed that one case involving Thunda was being investigated by CCS and not five. “The case dates back to 1998, we are yet to gather details of it,'' the DCP told TOI.     The Indian Muslim Mohammadi Mujahideen (IMMM), formed by Azam Ghauri and Maqbool in the state in 1990s, shares more or less the same ideology as that of the Tanzim Islahul Muslimeen (TIM) (Islamic Armed Organisation for the Improvement of Muslims) formed by Tunda in which Ghauri was an important member.