Bangalore terror suspect wanted to target US
DAVANAGERE: Suspected terrorist Riyazuddin Nasir alias Mohammed Ghouse wanted to visit the United States and spread terror there, he has told interrogators.
Since it was difficult to gain entry into the US, Ghouse had twice pleaded with terrorist leaders to at least send him to Iraq to work as a fidayeen — an extremist who equips himself with arms and ammunition and strikes a target, causing mass destruction.
However, the terrorist leaders persuaded him to drop the idea as they thought “there is so much to do in India”.
Ghouse, who was well informed about post-9/11 incidents, grudged the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
However, his plan did not materialize. In 2006, Samad got Ghouse a fake passport and sent him to Pakistan. While undergoing training there, Ghouse again expressed his keenness to go to Iraq. But Bilal stopped him.
After Ghouse completed his training in Pakistan — from May 2006 to January 2007 — he was sent to India through the Nepal border with a mission: indulge in subversion and disturb peace.