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spreading terror: The Indian Mujahideen was involved in the recent blasts in New Delhi

Mumbai's Crime Branch arrested 11 suspected members of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) on Saturday in a joint operation with their counterparts in Mangalore.

The police recovered two hand grenades, assorted weapons and Rs 11.5 lakh from them. Initial investigations have indicated that the weapons were part of the arsenal to carry out attacks in the city. Police sources
in Mangalore disclosed that Riyaz Bhatkal, the key mastermind of IM, funded the money.

Following their arrest, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil held a high-level meeting at Raj Bhavan yesterday to discuss the looming threat of terror attacks in the state.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, Commissioner (special investigation department) D Shivanandan, State Director General of Police A N Roy, Mumbai Police Chief Hassan Gafoor and officials of the Intelligence Bureau and RAW.

Four of the arrested Mohammed Ali, son Javed Ali, Naushad and Ahmed Bawa have been brought to the city while the others are being questioned in Mangalore. The police are also on the lookout for two other suspects identified as Salman and Samir, who are residents of Mira Road. The duo is suspected to have sold used vehicles to terrorists.

Finance module

Bhatkal had sent around 600 men from his hometown Bhatkal in North Kanara, Karnataka, to a Gulf country for employment. In return, they sent him a whopping amount of money.

The money reached Bhatkal every month through hawala channels and was used to fund the training of sleeper modules and buy ammunition for triggering blasts across the country. Investigations have revealed that the explosives used in the New Delhi and Ahmedabad blasts were smuggled from Bhatkal.

Bhatkal, who used the code name Roshan Khan, is believed to be holed up in Pakistan.

After establishing base near Bhatkal, he formed links with terror groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria. Post 9/11, he funded hundreds of wannabe terrorists in Pakistan.