Inside the Bhatti network: The scale of an ISI operation that tested India’s security apparatus

New Delhi, Aug 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday that the security agencies had destroyed the Shehzad Bhatti module completely, ahead of India’s 80th Independence Day. The Home Minister said that over 200 operatives of the network had been arrested through coordinated operations that spanned across 14 states.

Officials who are part of the investigations say that the Bhatti module was one of the most complex that they came across. The ease with which he was recruiting Indian youth was alarming.

The official explained that the reason why this module was so challenging to bust was due to its complexities. Bhatti had managed to sway the youth and he could rope them in by offering very little money. Bhatti who was an influencer prior to being roped in by the ISI, to run a mammoth module in India, was able to convince the youth to join him with much ease.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that Bhatti’s expertise lay in identifying youth on the social media. It was not only the money that he offered that brought the youth into his fold. He and his aides would have long conversations on the social media and then tap into the psyche of the individual. He was quick to identify their problems, insecurities, financial status among others.

Basically, he was looking deep into the minds of possible recruits and this is how he managed to play with their emotions before roping them in, the official said. Another official said that another alarming aspect about the Bhatti module is the speed with which it came up. In no time were recruitments done and tasks assigned.

At first, it appeared to be a module that was focusing just on surveillance. Very quickly the agencies learnt that this was not some run of the mill surveillance that was taking place. Bhatti and his recruits had managed to set up solar powered close circuit television cameras at vital and crowded installations. Sending a live feed to handlers to Pakistan was probably one of the first of its kind.

In addition to this, Bhatti was also recruiting youth to carry out targeted killings, terror attacks, smuggle arms and narcotics. It was a multi-faceted module which did not focus just on one task. For the agencies figuring out what exactly this module was upto a big challenge.

The strategy that Bhatti had adopted clearly had all signs that the intention was to confuse the agencies by adopting multiple strategies. While busting the CCTV module was one part of the challenge, the other was to change the basic security set up at railway stations and other vital installations from where the live feed was being sent to Pakistan.

A lot had to be changed, the official said, while adding that by the time the module was busted, quite a lot of live feed had already been transmitted. The security agencies held several high-level meetings that were chaired by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Home Minister was clear in his message that taking down this module as soon as possible was of utmost priority. The agencies were given a free hand and more importantly, the Home Ministry ensured that the coordination between the police of 14 states was seamless. It was this thorough coordination and overseeing by the Home Ministry which led to busting of one of India’s biggest modules in recent times, an official said.

An official said that the next step would be to designate Bhatti under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A proposal to detain him has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs following consultations with state and central agencies. This is an important move aimed at preventing Bhatti from expanding his footprint.

Once this process is complete the next step would be to coordinate with the Interpol and have a look out and red corner notice against Shehzad Bhatti. There is ample material to have a red corner notice issued by the Interpol, an official said. Sustained action has led to the arrest of over 200 people and the registration of 80 FIRs.

The security agencies had managed to collect enough evidence linking these modules to Bhatti and the ISI and hence there should be no problem in getting the Interpol to act against him, the official added.

Source: IANS