Mumbai terror plot foiled, two held

With the arrest of two local men in their 20s, Mumbai has escaped another big terror attack, planned yet again by a Pakistan-based outfit, the police said on Sunday. On the terror radar

Abdul Latif alias Guddu (29) and Riyaz Ali alias Rehan (23) were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for planning attacks on markets, government offices and nuclear installations in the city.

Altogether, four terror suspects were arrested across India this weekend. The other arrests were that of a Hizbul Mujahideen operative in Gujarat and the chief of a terrorist group, Kanglei Yawol Kunna Lup, in Manipur.

“This weekend we had three major successes,” said Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai.

No links have been established between the three arrests.

In Mumbai, the duo was picked up late on Saturday. ATS chief K.P. Raghuvanshi said Abdul is married to Riyaz’s sister. “Both are from lower-middle class families and did odd jobs. They aren’t very educated but can operate computers.”

The arrests come a week after the state issued a terror alert.

“They were told to go to Pakistan after carrying out one major strike in Mumbai,” Raghuvanshi said, adding that they had a handler in Pakistan.