Bhubaneswar: Al-Qaeda Indian sub-continent (AQIS) operative Mohammed Abdur Rehman has admitted his links with the terrorists involved in the 1999 Kandahar plane hijack and 2002 American Centre blast incident in Kolkata, a senior police official said today.
Rehman had provided safe shelter in Cuttack to a Pakistani terrorist involved in Kandahar plane hijack. The said terrorist belonged to Pak-based Harkat-ul-Mujadhideen group that hijacked the Delhi-bound India Airlines flight IC-184 from Kathamandu to Kandahar, said an official of the Special Task Force of Crime Branch of Odisha Police.
The hijackers had demanded release of Azhar Masood in order to release the passengers of the plane.
Though Rehman, who has been brought on a 10-day remand by Odisha Police, initially refused to admit his links with terror outfits, he opened up as soon as evidence collected by NIA and IB were placed before him, the officer said. He added that police had been probing into the truth behind Rehman's statements.
Though Rehman's brother got acquitted in the case, police said that now his younger brother (Rehman) had revealed that one of the terrorists was brought to Cuttack where he got safe shelter.
The operative, who was running a Madrassa at Tangi near Cuttack, was arrested during a joint operation of Delhi Police and Odisha Police on December 16, 2015. He was brought from Delhi to the state on remand.
Sources said Rehman will be questioned about his links in Odisha and the source of the funds he received to run the Madrassa.
Rehman had provided safe shelter in Cuttack to a Pakistani terrorist involved in Kandahar plane hijack. The said terrorist belonged to Pak-based Harkat-ul-Mujadhideen group that hijacked the Delhi-bound India Airlines flight IC-184 from Kathamandu to Kandahar, said an official of the Special Task Force of Crime Branch of Odisha Police.
The hijackers had demanded release of Azhar Masood in order to release the passengers of the plane.
Though Rehman, who has been brought on a 10-day remand by Odisha Police, initially refused to admit his links with terror outfits, he opened up as soon as evidence collected by NIA and IB were placed before him, the officer said. He added that police had been probing into the truth behind Rehman's statements.
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Though Rehman's brother got acquitted in the case, police said that now his younger brother (Rehman) had revealed that one of the terrorists was brought to Cuttack where he got safe shelter.
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The operative, who was running a Madrassa at Tangi near Cuttack, was arrested during a joint operation of Delhi Police and Odisha Police on December 16, 2015. He was brought from Delhi to the state on remand.
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Sources said Rehman will be questioned about his links in Odisha and the source of the funds he received to run the Madrassa.
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