TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team was in Goa with Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal to conduct searches at various places on Monday, officials said.
This was in the aftermath of revelations that he recruited some local youth in his group, sources said.
Yasin is said to be the mastermind of many blasts all over the country and was nabbed in an operation on the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar’s Raxaul town.
According to sources, the sleuths are probing his Goa links and whether he conducted recce in the coastal state before the German Bakery bomb blast in Pune in 2010.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr O P Mishra could only confirm the team’s presence in Goa.
“The team was in Goa in connection with some inputs they gathered during their investigation but no input was shared with the Goa Police. We therefore do not know the exact purpose of their visit and which places they visited,” he told Herald, when contacted, adding “They have already left Goa.”
Meanwhile, sources said the team along with the IM terrorist in their custody visited Margao, Vasco and other places where he is said to have interacted with some locals. The NIA is also trying to identify youth who could have links to Bhatkal.
“The recruitment process, the training venue and several other locations and people are being identified,” said sources.
