Bangalore Police arrest journalist, 10 others for suspected terror links

Bangalore: Bangalore Police on Wednesday arrested 11 people, including a journalist with a popular English daily, for having terror links. Sources said the arrests were made as they were planning to kill a prominent columnist with a Kannada newspaper.

The 11 people arrested have links with Lashkar-e-Toiba and HuJI, said Karnataka DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau. They had plotted to kill the columnist on Wednesday as he had written an anti-Islam article.

Addressing a press conference, Commissioner of Police Bangalore JP Mirji said a foreign-made pistol has also been recovered. He added that those arrested were also planning to target prominent personalities of the state including MPs, MLAs and journalists.

Mirji said those arrested have links with Saudi Arabia-based LeT and HuJI and it is suspected that they have more supporters in other states. "Targeting individuals could have created communal tension," he added.

Mirji said more details cannot be revealed as the investigation is still on.

Sources say Uttar Pradesh Police had provided their Bangalore counterparts the intelligence about the terror group, which has links with Indian Mujahideen. Sources add that the questioning of those arrested is on.

At least three arrests were made in Hubli in north Karnataka.

Meanwhile, four suspected Indian Mujahideen activists involved in the 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium blast case were detained in Bangalore on Thursday for questioning, police said.

Fifteen people were injured when two bombs exploded at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, 2010 on the eve of the Bangalore-Mumbai IPL semifinal match.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Director General of Police Lalrokhuma Pachau said backgrounds of those picked up was being checked. "Their backgrounds are being checked. After we come to some stage, we will tell you", he said, adding investigation is on.

(With additional information from PTI)

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