B’lore engineer with terror designs held
N D Shiva Kumar and Ambarish B, The Times of India
February 23, 2008

Introduction: Simi Pointsman Had Links with Other Ultra Groups

An electrical engineer once employed with a leading US multinational and now an active member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) has been arrested from Bangalore by police who claim the 32-year-old could hold the key to cracking a dangerous terror web that spanned a large swathe across India, from UP to Kerala.

A native of a village near Kozhikode, Kerala, Yahya Iyash Kamkutty came to Bangalore eight years ago after completing a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from one of Kerala’s best institutes. While working with GE, he kept in touch with terror suspects Mohammed Asif, Asadullah Abubaker and their associates. The gang held several meetings in north Karnataka and was preparing to strike at key installations in the state, police said.

Yahya’s arrest late on Thursday once again points to the increasing use of highly trained professionals who are lured into terror groups which use sophisticated methods and planning in their attacks. It was from Bangalore that Glasgow bomber Kafeel Ahmed, a PhD holder in aeronautical engineering, and his brother Sabeel Ahmed went to the UK.

Police said Yahya became more active in SIMI after he lost his job at GE while trying to steal data to set up his own firm. It was another arrested terror suspect, Mohammed Asif, who had revealed Yahya’s name and his association with SIMI. Thereafter, the cops, who were investigating recent terror cases in north Karnataka, started questioning Yahya. Finally, on Thursday night, he was arrested.