NEW DELHI, June 25: A 43-month international hunt for a key handler of terrorists who struck Mumbai has ended with the arrest of Abul Jundal alias Syed Zabiuddin who was detained in Saudi Arabia and sent here four days ago.
30-year-old Zabiuddin with another alias Riyasat Ali is an Indian national who is said to have been issuing directions from a ‘control room’ in Pakistan to 10 terrorists who went on a rampage in Mumbai in November, 2008 killing 166 persons.
Zabiuddin, who was deported from Saudi Arabia on India’s request, was arrested on his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Delhi Police on June 21, police said.
He was remanded to police custody for 15 days by a Delhi court the same day.
Zabiuddin had taught Hindi to the 10 Lashker-e-Taiba terrorists that carried out the Mumbai attacks. A resident of Georai area of Beed district in Maharashtra, he had given a slip to the Mumbai Police when an arms consignment in Aurungabad was seized in 2006 and left for Pakistan.
Along with five others, he was was present in the control room and was heard instructing terrorists who were engaged in a fight with NSG commandos at Nariman house, officials associated with the probe said.
They added that Zabiuddin had told Lashker terrorists to convey to the media that the “attack was a trailer and the entire movie was yet to come”.
In the intercepted tapes, Ansari was also heard using typical Hindi words like “prashasan” (administration) and directing the terrorists to conceal their Pakistani identity and to identify themselves as Deccan Mujahideen hailing from Toli Chowk in Hyderabad.
During interrogation, Zabiuddin gave a deep insight into the situation at ‘Karachi control room’ monitoring the Mumbai attack.
Police said Zabiuddin has admitted to his active role in the 26/11 attack and that he has worked in tandemn with terror mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
His presence was also stated by Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the Mumbai attack, in his deposition before a special court in Mumbai. He told the court that one person by the name of Abu Jindal had tutored 10 terrorists on how to speak Hindi.
India had also secured an Interpol Red Corner notice against him in which he was accused of crimes involving the use of weapons, explosives and terrorism.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, “Syed Zabiuddin, we believe is a person who goes by the pseudonym Abu Jundal. He has been apprehended and has been remanded to the custody of law enforcing agencies.” (PTI)
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