BENGALURU Indian Air Force (IAF) security personnel at the Air Force
Station Yelahanka (AFSY) in Bengaluru on Saturday night may have foiled a plan
to launch a terror attack on the station, which is hosting the country’s
premier military aviation show, Aero India 2017, from February 14 to 18.
A 24-year-old person, named Mamnoon from
Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, who has been working as a welder at the AFSY has
been detained after he was found moving suspiciously while making calls to a
contact in Saudi Arabia. But what was even more shocking, and which has made
the security authorities suspect it to be a terror plan, was that his mobile
phone had several photos of the restricted areas of the air base, which is also
the largest transport flight training facility of the Indian Air Force. They
also recovered nine SIM cards from him.
In the wake of the Pathankot air base attack of
January 2016 and school students spotting 'suspected terrorists' near Uran
Naval base in Mumbai last September, this case is being dealt with utmost
sensitivity, a senior police official said.
“On February 4, 2017, at around 9.20 pm, a person,
Mamnoon, who was doing welding jobs at the Air Force station was found talking
over a mobile in a prohibited area near tower 9. And upon securing and
questioning him, our staff found him to be talking to (someone in) Saudi Arabia
and possessing nine SIM cards. His mobile has several photos clicked inside the
Air Force station. Hence a detailed investigation and action is hereby sought,”
says the complaint by the Air Force station security authorities.
The police are now verifying several aspects: The
details about the SIM cards which have been seized; the call record details of
these SIM cards in recent days; the identity used by the person to secure the
job; his association with locals that fetched him work at the Air Force
station; and his other connections.
Details on the reason behind his turning up in a
prohibited area in the night and the number of days he has been working inside
the air base is also being sourced, a police official said.
Mamnoon has been booked for criminal trespass, he
said, adding that Mamnoon had been inside the air base as part of group of
labourers allowed to work inside.
With the sensitivity involved, and not taking any
chances, more so with Air Force bases across India being put on alert post the
Pathankot attack, a case was registered immediately. With Mamnoon communicating
with a contact in Saudi Arabia and the incident being reported from an Air
Force station, the case has been referred to Central Crime Branch (CCB).
"We have registered a case and it has been
transferred to the CCB," PS Harsha, deputy commissioner of police
(North-East) confirmed to Bangalore Mirror. “A detailed probe into any links
will alone decide if the case has any suspected terror links or not,” a police
official said.
Source :- Pune Mirror
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