Bomb planter Afridi held in Bengaluru

Ahmedabad: In a major breakthrough, Hyderabad police arrested the absconding alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative, Alamzeb Afridi, from Bengaluru on Thursday. He was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further interrogation.
Sources in Ahmedabad crime branch said Afridi had confessed to NIA about his role in the serial blasts that rocked the city on July 26, 2008.Around 56 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in the blasts, that took place at 18 places in Ahmedabad.
"Afridi reportedly told NIA officials that he held a series of meetings with hardcore SIMI terrorists. He was also at the terror training camps at Waghamon and Halol," said a crime branch official.
Before going underground, Afridi lived at New Ashiana Society in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad. Thereafter, he lived at different places under aliases such as Md Rafeeq and Javed.
"He carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh for his arrest," said DCP, Ahmedabad crime branch, Deepan Bhadran.
Sources said Afridi, Abdul Razik, and Abdul Suban alias Taukeer, had bought cycles to carry out the 2008 blasts in Ahmedabad. The cycles were hidden at a flat in Juhapura.
"Afridi reconnoitred the areas where the bombs were to be planted and on July 26, 2008, he himself left a cycle bomb at a temple in Narol," a crime branch official said.
Gujarat ATS officials in touch with the NIA said Afridi was living in Bengaluru for the last three years. He used to work as an AC mechanic and nursed hatred towards Israel. He got married a year ago and lived with his wife on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He had also acquired an Aadhar Card and a voter ID card under a fictitious name.