Arrested terrorist was trying to revive SIMI, IM: Police

New Delhi [India] Jan. 22 (ANI): Arrested 2008 Gujarat bomb blast mastermind Abdul Subhan Qureshi was trying to revive the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM) in four states, said Delhi police on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Kushwaha said Qureshi was trying to revive IM and SIMI in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

The police clarified that the terrorist was not planning to carry out terror activities in Delhi.

"We had information that Qureshi would come to meet an old associate in the Ghazipur area. Acting on the information, a Special Cell team arrested Qureshi on the night of January 20 from Ghazipur area in Uttar Pradesh after a brief exchange of fire," said Kushwaha.

A 9 mm pistol, five cartages and some fake documents were seized from India's most wanted terrorist Abdul Subhan Qureshi, who is co founder the IM and once a head of SIMI.

"He is mastermind of 2008 Gujarat blasts on July 26, 2008 in Ahmedabad. After few day of the blast, 29 unexploded IEDs were found from Surat. Qureshi was also mastermind of planting those IEDs which did not blast due to some technical fault," Kushwaha said.

"After the blasts, he managed to escape to Nepal and lived there on the forged documents. He also went to Saudi Arabia between 2013-15 to raise funds and revive his network," the DCP said.

He termed Qureshi as a shrewd and sharp mind criminal who does not believe in leaving behind traces.

"He has worked with top-notch private IT companies and was drawing very good salary. He is a software engineer and got education from English medium school," Kushwaha said.

The Delhi Police is verifying 2008 Gujarat bomb blast mastermind Abdul Subhan Qureshi's role in other blasts also.

"His name figured in 2006 Mumbai train blasts but we will have to verify it from Mumbai. His name also figured in Bangalore blasts. We also suspect that he signed the emails in the name of Al-Arabi which took responsibility of Delhi blasts," Kushwaha said.

The police official said Qureshi has a very detailed criminal profile.

"He has a very detailed criminal profile. NIA had announced Rs 4 lakh on his head. Imn 2007-08 four camps of SIMI were organised in Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, and Karnataka wherein waging war against India was planned, which they call Jihad," Kushwaha said.

The 2008 Gujarat bombings were a series of 21 bomb blasts that hit Ahmedabad, India, on July 26, 2008, within a span of 70 minutes. 56 people were killed and over 200 people were injured. (ANI)