Pak trained terror suspect arrested by Juhu ATS
Mirza was arrested from his residence in Jogeshwari on May 11 (Representational Image)
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 32-year-old terror suspect who recently arrived in Mumbai after allegedly receiving arms training in Pakistan and was planning to conduct a series of bomb explosions throughout the city.
The arrest was made on May 11 in a joint operation with the Kolkata police’s Special Task Force (STF).
The accused, Faisal Hasan Mirza, was reportedly planning to carry out attacks targeting several leading Indian politicians and film personalities along with a few other wanted terrorists.
According to ATS officials, Mirza, an electrician by profession, was in touch with LeT members that are believed to have been involved in the November 2008 attack in Mumbai.
He travelled to Sharjah from where he was summoned to Dubai by Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Amir Reza Khan. The wanted terrorist subsequently made arrangements for Mirza to travel to a LeT terror training camp in Karachi.
At the camp, backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Mirza received training in handling automatic weapons and explosives along with carrying out suicide bombings.
He travelled back to Mumbai two months back and was awaiting orders to carry out attacks when Kolkata STF received a tip-off about his arrival and put him on surveillance.
After receiving confirmation about his plans, they alerted Maharashtra ATS, whose Juhu unit arrested him from his residence in Jogeshwari. Mirza was produced in court and remanded in ATS custody until May 21.
During interrogation, Mirza reportedly admitted that apart from planting bombs, there were plans to kill a politician from the ruling party of Maharashtra.
His questioning by the ATS is expected to lead to more arrests, including the person who funded his trip to Sharjah and Dubai.
