HYDERABAD: A day after the Centre designated 18 Pakistan-based gangsters as 'individual terrorists', authorities in Hyderabad said one of them is Farhathullah Ghori alias Abu Sufiyan, who is a key member of international terrorist organisations and has been eluding police for 25 years.
The terror operative list includes the likes of Chhota Shakeel, Bhatkal brothers and Tiger Memon among others.
According to the gazette issued by the government of India, Ghori, who was born on June 2, 1966, is a key member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed
Local police said Farhathullah Ghori of Kurmaguda in Sayeedabad is a former activist of a local group. He left India in 1991 and since then has been staying in Pakistan and working for LeT, Jaish-E-Mohammed and other terror outfits.
His name figured in a January 2004 case pertaining to a failed attempt to murder then BJP state President Nallu Indrasena Reddy. Police have claimed his involvement in October 2005 Begumpet Task Force office suicide bombing case and in the attack on Gujarat's Akshardham Temple.
A few years ago, Central and state Intelligence agencies prepared a sketch of Farhathullah Ghori.
Though Farhathullah has been wanted in several cases for over 25 years, police still don't have his photograph and identifying him remains a tough task for intelligence agencies, top officials said.
Intelligence sources said he has been operating from Riyadh in Saudia Arabia along with his co-brother Zaki-ur-Rahman of Sayeedabad.
Both have floated a new terror outfit called Jhund-Al-Qahar (Flock of Wrath).
On October 27, the home ministry invoked its powers under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to notify the names of 18 persons in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act, saying they are involved in terrorism. A gazette was issued to this effect.