Mangaluru blast accused says he has a handler

BENGALURU: The main accused in the pressure cooker blast case in Mangaluru, Mohd Shariq (24), has reportedly admitted that he has a handler. Informed sources, on condition of anonymity, said that Shariq has revealed some names and aliases of his handler, which may be misleading.

He has also allegedly said that there are many other youth like him, who are highly radicalised and would go to any extent to establish the rule of Shariah in India, added the sources.

Earlier, the police had revealed the names of terror suspects Arafath Ali, Mussabir Hussain and Abdul Matheen Taha, also from Shivamogga as his handlers but agencies suspect that there’s someone else, who is known to Ali who has been handling Shariq and keeping a track on him.

“This man has been in constant touch with Shariq. He has been communicating with him on VPN-enabled apps along with some others for secret conversations, has financed him for terror activities through cryptocurrency and has assigned him with smaller tasks to prove his mettle and commitment for larger assignments for jihad,” said sources.

Sources added that Shariq has reportedly confessed that he had planned to place the IED, which went off prematurely inside the autorickshaw at the famous Kadri Manjunath temple in Mangaluru.

Shariq had conducted research online

Mohammed Shariq had allegedly researched online on some key days of national importance and Hindu religious congregations in Karnataka. “He may have planned to use any of these places and dates to execute his nefarious activities,” said sources.

Ali, Hussain and Taha are wanted in terror-related cases and are absconding. Ali is said to be in
Saudi Arabia. Shariq has still not fully recovered. He continues to be in hospital and hence has not been taken into custody for interrogation. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has taken over the investigation in the blast case is awaiting his recovery for further probe.