Parth Shastri/TNN
 
Ahmedabad, Nov 17: It was not only internal sources and funds that financed terror operations of Indian Mujahideen. Interrogation of terror accused from Mumbai has revealed that main chunk of funds came from hawala channels abroad.

City crime branch have now got names of fund collectors and exactly how money was utilised for various operations. According to city crime branch officials, Amir Raza Khan, brother of Asif Raza Khan, played a key role in hawala racket that got funding from individuals and institutions for jihadi activities going on in India.

Officials are yet to ascertain the figure but according to a moderate estimate, various institutions in India have got around Rs 3 crore over a period of one-and-a-half years. "These funds are still lying unutilised and could trigger a future terror attack," said a crime branch official.

A senior crime branch official told TOI that finance is backbone of any organisation and terror activities are no exception. "To know their activities for last one year, one also has to understand the funding. As it was previously established, Gujarat unit of Indian Mujahideen sold the Bhuj house and also collected funds during festive season. However, that money was not enough. They then looked towards national institutes," said the official.

An ATS official added that similar to disaster-related relief funds collected back home, national banks in some Gulf countries give option of donation to Islamic institutes in ATMs and even on over-the-desk transactions for tax savings. Such funds come through various channels in the hands of organisations such as United Jihad Council (UJC) of which Harkat-ul Mujahideen (HuM); Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM); Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT); Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HM); Al Badr are members.

"Funds don't come only for terror purposes but when routed through such channels, they fall in the hands of terror operatives. India is no exception. After institutes get money, they further it through hawala channels. In our investigation, we have found out that Amir and Mohammed Sadiq Shaikh were given responsibility of collecting funds for India operations," said the crime branch official.

Investigators believe that the role of Riyaz Bhatkal and his elder brother Iqbal will be clear after getting more evidence. The duo is said to be the main force behind terror operatives and Mumbai police have named them masterminds behind various blasts. Iqbal is also said to have collected money through hawala from various banks.

Ahmedabad crime branch believes that same money was used to pay off Afzal Usmani and bomb makers, including Mohammed Zahir Shaikh.