India: Phone calls from terror suspects traced to Karachi

The phone calls received by two terror suspects, arrested on charges of planning terror attacks in Mumbai, have been traced to Karachi in Pakistan, an official from Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) said on Monday.

"The phone calls the duo was receiving have been traced to Karachi in Pakistan. They had received calls on a regular basis in which they were instructed to ensure that the targets get reduced to ashes," said the official.

The duo, Abdul Latif alias Guddu (29) and Riyaz Ali alias Rehan (23), residents of suburban Bandra and Dahisar respectively, were arrested near Matunga railway station in central Mumbai on Saturday. ATS chief Raghuvanshi had said that preliminary probe suggested the duo were getting instructions from someone called 'Uncle' from Pakistan to execute their activities.

Both had conducted recce of three targets - headquarters of public sector petroleum company Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Thakkar Mall and Mangaldas Market - and were planning to carry out attacks which included sabotage and setting them on fire.

Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba has identified as many as 320 targets across the globe, 20 of which are in India, a top US lawmaker has said in Washington. "In the wake of the (26/11) Mumbai attack, investigators uncovered in controller records and e-mail accounts a list of 320 locations worldwide deemed by the LeT as possible targets for attack. Only 20 of the targets were located within India," Congressman Gary Ackerman said before a Congressional hearing.

- Asian Tribune -