New Delhi: In a conversation made from a cell phone from inside the Hyderabad jail, Indian Mujahideen top operative Yasin Bhatkal, was heard telling his wife, “Allah Tale ke marzi se jaldi hi nikal jaunga, mein nikal jaunga mere Damascus wale dosto ke maddat se. Phir nikal ne ke baad, hum jaldi hi Damascus pahuchenga” (By the grace of Allah, I will be out of jail very soon. My friends from Damascus will help me get out of here. After that we will reach there very soon)
The central intelligence agencies have found that jailed Yasin Bhatkal was using a mobile phone inside the high-security cell in a Hyderabad jail. The IM founder is presently lodged in a high-security cell inside the Cherlapally central prison.
In one of the intercepted conversations, Bhatkal was found talking to his wife Zahida in South East Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, assuring her he would be out of prison very soon with the help of his “friends from Damascus”. The conversation turned out to be a chilling reminder for the sleuths about their suspicion that the militant group IS (Islamic State) has made their way into the country.
Intelligence agencies believe the Damascus connection, is a reference to the members of the Islamic State who have a strong presence in Syria. The IS, has in the past, recruited several Indians into their group by luring them through social networking. Sources said that Bhatkal had made at least 10 calls to his wife. The recorded conversation was submitted to the senior officials in the Intelligence Bureau.
Sources said that the IB informed Hyderabad jail officials after eavesdropping on all his conversations. Sources said Bhatkal had also made numerous calls to several other numbers across several states. However, he could not talk to the people he called.
Bhatkal, who involved in several bombings across the country is presently lodged in the Cherlapally central prison on the outskirts of Hyderabad — the prison has,in the past, seen several instances of mobile phones, SIM cards and pen drives being recovered from inmates.
The director general (prisons and correctional services) Telangana said: “It is true that there were some incidents before but it cannot have occurred now. We have stepped out vigil and have sanitised the premises to prohibit such an incident. A phone call from the high security cell where Bhatkal is lodged is just not possible.” But he said the possibility could not be ruled out when Bhatkal is taken to the court, because the prisoners then are not under his custody.
Bhatkal left his wife just days after marrying her in 2008, but has continued to be in touch with her. In August 2013, IB officials first tracked his movements after learning that he had delivered `1 lakh to his wife and a cell phone through his associate Tehseen Aktar alias Monu.
