Al Qaeda module busted in Lucknow; human bombs were in plan: Police

Lucknow : An Al-Qaeda unit has been busted in Uttar Pradesh who were allegedly planning a human suicide bombing in crowded areas of Lucknow and other cities of the state, said police.

Two men named Minhaj Ahmed and Maseeruddin, also known as Mushir - both residents of Lucknow district - have been arrested, the police informed.

"ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) UP has uncovered a big terror module. The team has arrested two terrorists linked with Al Qaeda's Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Arms, explosive materials have been recovered in searches," senior police officer Prashant Kumar said at a news conference.

"They were planning explosions at important places, memorials and crowded places, and also to use human bombs before August 15 ( Independence Day) in different cities of the state, including Lucknow. For this, they were collecting weapons and explosives," he said.

"The terror activities were being run from Peshawar and Quetta on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border by an Al Qaeda member called Umar Halmandi," Mr Kumar added.

The police have found explosive and guns from the residence of Minhaj Ahmed.

Another team carried out searches at the home of Maseeruddin, who is aged about 50, in Mariahu town of Jaunpur district and found a large number of explosives and a cooker set to be used as a crude bomb, they said.

The two alleged terrorists will be produced in the court.