A nationwide manhunt has been launched to nab a Kashmiri journalist who is alleged to be an accomplice of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Bashir Ahmed Baba alias Pepsi bomber,arrested by Gujarat police recently. Teams of central security agencies have been sent to help police nab the journalist who is alleged to have provided support to Baba several times,official sources said. The scribe used his contacts and allegedly helped Baba to work in the guise of an NGO worker and set up base in Gujarat,they said. The journalist is said to have played a crucial role in helping Baba in sending youths to Pakistan for terror training besides helping the Hizbul militant to conduct recce of key sites including the ISRO facility in Gujarat. Central security agencies have learnt the journalist used his links to help Baba identify youths in Gujarat who were sympathetic to jihad and were willing to get training to carry out espionage operations for Pakistan-based terror groups,the sources said. The role of the journalist surfaced when Baba was being monitoring and after a reference to his name was made. Following Baba's arrest by Gujarat ATS,the agencies have now shifted attention on to journalist,who has gone underground,they said. The journalist has allegedly helped Baba by arranging funds and smooth access across the states to reach Gujarat and spread his network in the state,the sources said. He is also suspected to have passed on information about developments in Kashmir to Baba during his stay in Gujarat,they said. After his arrest,the ATS seized some documents,mobile phones,SIM cards,visiting cards and phone numbers of some persons in Saudi Arabia. Baba was allegedly sending youths from state to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) for a fortnightly training session in the use of explosives. These camps were allegedly run by Hizbul Mujahideen leader Bilal Shera in PoK,the sources said. Baba has been booked under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Hizbul militant had gained notoriety and earned the nickname pepsi bomber for allegedly hurling IEDs fitted in Pepsi cans at police in Jammu and Kashmir.
