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Jundal was overseeing IM's rebirth in India

June 29, 2012 23:45 IST

Investigators are looking to find out through arrested Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Abu Jundal whether he was trying to oversee the re-birth of the Indian Mujahideen from Saudi Arabia.

Jundal had left from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia over a year back and had sought to recruit youth from there who could be part of the Indian Mujahideen, sources closely related to the investigations told Rediff.com.

Jundal told his interrogators that the Lashkar-run Indian Mujhaideen had to be revamped. Since the past one-and-a-half years the IM had become directionless and the Lashkar was concerned about this.

There was a need to infuse a new lease of life into the IM and there was a need to recruit a new set of cadres who had absolutely no previous record with the police, Jundal said.

He went on to add that there were many Muslims in the Gulf who were eager to join their cause and he had spent a considerable amount of time in the recruitment process.

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau also said that this was yet another attempt on part of the Lashkar to ensure that India had a homegrown outfit so that terror on Indian soil would be self sufficient and not Pakistan-based.

Jundal also said that he was completely given charge of recruiting the youth, training them by sending them to Pakistan and later helping them infiltrate into India.

The police said that Jundal was carrying out orders from Pakistan and was planning a full fledged attack on Indian soil.

Further Jundal also revealed that he also had the task of activating several dead modules of the IM.

The details of his interrogation have been sent across to the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad who have stepped up the vigil.

Sources in the IB also said that under Jundal the IM was planning on reviving itself and carrying more precise and intense attacks on Indian soil.

The Lashkar had a fixed plan on taking its time in creating a brand new Indian Mujahideen which would carry out a series of attacks in India.

The police added that a number of IM members who fled India are holed up in the Gulf and Jundal was tapping these youth during his recruitment process.

Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru