Mirza Himayat Baig, a suspected LeT operative arrested for his alleged role in Pune's German Bakery blast, had been to Colombo for training in bomb making for three weeks in 2008, a senior ATS official said on Thursday.
But the official ruled out links between between Baig and the members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist terrorist group in Sri Lanka.
On Tuesday, the ATS arrested Baig, who allegedly heads LeT's operations in Maharashtra, in Pune and his aide Shaikh Lalbaba Mohammed Hussain alias Bilal in Nashik.
While Baig was held for the Pune blast, Shaikh, who was constantly in touch with him and provided him logisticalsupport, was held under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the ATS said.
One of the two had even visited Mumbai probably to select a target to carry out terror attack, the official said on condition of anonymity. "In March 2008, Baig had been to Colombo after being called by Fayaz Kagzi, an alleged SIMI activist wanted in 2006 Aurangabad Arms Haul case, for bomb making training. Along with Kagzi, one more person was present during the training," said the official.
"The three had chosen Colombo as they thought it was a safe place and no security agency would have any doubt about their bomb making activities. Moreover, Sri Lanka had visa-on-arrival facility then. After the training, they also decided as to through which mode of communication they would remain in contact in future," the ATS official said.
"But we do not see any link between Baig and the members of LTTE," the official added.
