In a timely and successful operation, the city police on Friday foiled an attempt by a suspected terrorist to attack IT major Infosys and the HAL airport in the city. Acting on a tipoff, a police team headed by additional commissioner Bipin Gopalkrishna intercepted a passenger bus coming from Hospet near Jalahalli on the city's outskirts and arrested 32-year-old Imran, alias Bilal. The police recovered one AK-47, 300 rounds of ammunition, four AK-47 magazines and five hand grenades from his bag. A few mobile phone handsets, additional SIM cards, a satellite phone and a few documents were also seized from his bag.Posted on 09 January 2007 @ 14:12 GMTThe police registered a case under the Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act. Giving a new twist to the incident, the Bellary police confirmed that Imran has been using a handicrafts shop as a front in Hampi for the last four years. Depu-ty superintendent of police P.G. Suddi said: "We came to know about his arrest this morning, and after that we checked his shop, but found nothing in connection with this case." He said that after Imran's arrest, the police had directed 60-odd traders in Hampi of Kashmiri origin - all of them deal in Kashmiri handicrafts and pearls - to keep the local police informed about their movements.
In the city, Karnataka director-general of police K.R. Srinivasan, who addressed a press conference along with city police commissioner N. Achyuth Rao, was very reluctant to give details, maintaining that unless the information given by the suspected militant was verified it could not be shared with the media. He asserted that the arrested man's link with any terrorist outfit was yet to be established. Though a city map with some markings was recovered from him, the police declined to disclose any details.
Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was, however, far more forthcoming in sharing information on the incident. "I am proud of our police team which has foiled an attempt by a terrorist to attack Infosys and the airport," he said. Intelligence sources said Imran was a trained terrorist and had undergone training in Pakistan. Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was, however, far more forthcoming in sharing information on the incident. "I am proud of our police team which has foiled an attempt by a terrorist to attack Infosys and the airport," he said. Intelligence sources said Imran was a trained terrorist and had undergone training in Pakistan.