Five more terror recruits surrender to ATS in city

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On April 3, TOI had front-paged a story of a Mumbai youth who had a change of heart after undergoing terror training in Pakistan. The ATS helped rehabilitate him. 

 

Were Paid 1L Each To Train In Pakistan

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Five men who received terror training in Pakistan gave themselves up to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) last month after reading about another terror recruit’s change of heart in The Times of India. 

    TOI had front-paged on April 3 the story of a twentysomething terror operative who approached the ATS and confessed to getting terror training in Pakistani militant camps. He told the agency that he had no wish to kill anyone or hurt the country. The MCom graduate was later given a Rs 25,000-a-month job on the police’s recommendation. 

    Following the appearance of the report, five others, all between the ages of 19 and 22, separately turned themselves in to the ATS. Hailing from different parts of Maharashtra, they had travelled to Pakistan in late 2010 and got coaching there for three months in “using firearms, bomb-making, recruiting others, expanding the terror network, and in how to evade the police”. Four of the five, officers said, had travelled as a cell and the last independently. The last youth, thanks to his confessions, is today employed with a computer firm.
 

 

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Recruits trained at Kasab’s camp
 

    He came to me through a journalist. He narrated his story and told me about the people who brainwashed and arranged his trip abroad,” said ATS chief Rakesh Maria. “He broke down and said he had committed a mistake and had no intention to kill anyone. After checking his story, we found that he was feeling guilty and wanted to lead a peaceful life. We arranged a Rs 18,000-a-month job for him in a private company.”
 

    The four others—one a BA student and three BSc undergrads—had a similar rethink. “They told me that they did not want to be a part of any terror outfit since it could ruin their lives and their families,” said Maria.
 

    The ATS chief said he first met the youths outside and asked them to inform their parents. “They later came with their parents. We recorded their statements, took down the details of the things they did at the training camps and assured them of help in reformation.”
 

    Police officers said the youths were paid Rs 1 lakh each to undergo terror training. One of the camps they were sent to is in Muridke, the same place where 26/11 gunman Ajmal Kasab and his associates were allegedly trained. The 26/11 terrorists were reportedly paid Rs 1.50 lakh each to attack Mumbai.
 

    “The five youths were indoctrinated by showing propaganda videos. They said they got taken in and could not differentiate between right and wrong,” said Maria. He added that the ATS is identifying suspected terror trainees with the help of NGOs. “There are boys who are part of sleeper cells. We should neutralize them,” he said. “An important part of this effort is to rid them of the feeling of persecution.”

The Times of India, May 9, 2012