16 December,2010 06:28 AM IST | | Poornima Swaminathan
Crime Branch is probing if alleged Pakistani spy Javed Mozawala, who did an aviation course, was part of a larger scheme to carry out aerial strikes in the country
Following the arrest of a suspected mole from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Javed Mozawala, Mumbai Crime Branch officials say he could have played a key role in a plot to target Mumbai through aerial attacks.
Sleuths are questioning Mozawala (28) if he is aware of a plot to strike airfields in the country.
They are also trying to find out if there are any more moles in the aviation sector, after it was revealed that Mozawala did a course in aviation that would have enabled him to be employed with domestic or international airports in the country.
The development assumes significance at a time when there are intelligence reports of Pakistani trained Jehadis planning aerial strikes in the country.
Initial investigations have indicated that Mozawala pursued a certificate course in civil aviation in ground handling and cargo loading and unloading, which officials found bizarre, given the fact that Mozawala was a visa agent, a facilitator for those wanting to go to Pakistan.
"His job profile did not require him to pursue a course in civil aviation. There could be a larger, more sinister plot behind it," said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police, Mumbai Crime Branch, adding, "We have also recovered from him photos of vital installations."
Sustained interrogation of Mozawala revealed that he was in touch with two diplomats in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to whom he was asked to pass on sensitive information.
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officials, who have identified the two Pakistani officials, have requested the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deport themu00a0 before more sensitive information is leaked out of the country.
Terror manuals
The police have also recovered a manual from Mozawala's residence, a sort of guidebook on carrying out anti-national activities without being caught.
Police officials were intrigued by the contents of the manual, which include tips on evading arrest, giving security agencies a slip, communicating with other aides by hoodwinking the police, and coded communication including cryptic emails.
u00a0
The police suspect that the manual could be in use by terror outfits in the country.
While scanning the documents recovered from his residence, the police also stumbled upon 87 coded telephone numbers belonging to defence establishments across the country.
Senior police officials said that these were confidential numbers and were not easily available.
Mumbai Police have passed on the information to the MHA and alerted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about the nature of the documents seized.
Pak Connection
Sustained interrogation of Mozawala revealed that he was in touch with two diplomats in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to whom he was asked to pass on sensitive information.
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officials, who have identified the two Pakistani officials, have requested the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deport themu00a0 before more sensitive information is leaked out of the country.
87
No of coded telephone numbers belonging to defence establishments across the country that were recovered from Mozawala
Big Catch
Javed Mozawala was arrested from Mazgoan last week on charges of spying and forgery and was also booked under various sections of the Officials Secrets Act.
