HuJI operative exposes Pak-Bangladesh terror link

Hyderabad: A deadly terror nexus has been exposed following the interrogation of suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami(HuJI) chief operator Sheikh Abdul Khwaja who was arrested on January 18, 2010, in Hyderabad.

According to Khwaja's second confessional statement he and his close friend Shahid Bilal, the alleged mastermind in the Hyderabad twin blast case, were handling recruitment for HuJI in Bangladesh.

After their recruitment drive the duo went to Pakistan where Bilal was killed in 2007.

After Bilal's death Khwaja became the chief operator of the terror outfit in south India.

Kwaja reportedly said he was part of the group that tried to pump in fake currency notes worth Rs 33 lakh into India.

Some of the fake notes were seized in Kolkata in 2009.

Khwaja was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody on February 1, 2010 by a Hyderabad court.

Few pointers in Khwaja's confessional statement:

• In 2005, Khwaja jumped bail, travelled to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia, on the insistence of his close friend Shahed Bilal(accused of being mastermind of Hyderabad twin blasts and reportedly killed in Karachi in 2007), came to Pakistan. Underwent training there, sent to Bangladesh to recruit people
• Khwaja and Bilal were handling recruitments HuJI in bangladesh. They would then send them to Pak for training.
• After Shahid Bilal's death, Khwaja was given he task of being the Chief operator for HuJI for South India.
• Khwaja says he is part of the group that tried to pump in fake currency notes, to the tune of Rs 33 lakh, in several parts of India. The currency was seized in Kolkata in 2009.
• Came to Colombo from Karachi on January 15 2010, with fake currency worth Rs 50,000, to give financial help to Shahid Bilal's brother Zahid. But apprehending police threat, hid passport and money in a bag. He was detained by Sri Lankan Immigration Authority and issued an exit pass to Chennai.
• Reached Chennai on January 16, travelled to Hyderabad by train. He reached Hyderabad on January 17. But due to heavy police presence for Telangana agitation he could not go home. He was apprehended by Hyderabad police on January 18 at a bus stand. They recovered: Pakistani passport, ID card issued by Government of Pakistan, Rs 50,000 fake Indian currency and two mobile phones.