(AKI/Asian Age) - Terrorist sleeper cells exist in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad- where twin blasts last Saturday killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 60 - the city's police commissioner, Balwinder Singh has said. Singh admitted on Monday that police have information about the presence in Hyderabad of sleeper cells - made up of trained terror agents or their sympathisers. The cells are activated when the need arises and return to their "sleeper" state when the operation ends. "Sleeper cells are present in every major city including Hyderabad. The police can take action if they commit any illegal activity. Until then it is difficult to identify them," Singh stated.Hyderabad police meanwhile suspect that the seizure of some 573,790 dollars (23.6 million Indian rupees) in fake currency on Saturday night led to the explosions later that day at an open-air auditorium and a restaurant in the city. Confessions made by those arrested in the racket have given rise to theories that terrorists might have triggered the blasts to derail investigation of the racket.
The authorities in Andhra Pradesh state, of which Hyderabad is the capital, say that groups operating in Pakistan and Bangladesh were behind last Saturday's blasts in the city. Police commissioner Singh said, "We cannot rule out the possibility of a reaction to the seizure of such a large amount of fake currency."
Prime suspect Alkaz Obaid Khamis Ali of the United Arab Emirates has reportedly stated that the fake currency is exchanged for genuine notes, 65 percent of the money would be sent to Pakistan and the UAE through 'hawala' channels. "It is an established fact that terrorist organisations are transacting money through hawala," said a senior police officer.
Indian police believe that PakistanÂ’s ISI intelligence service was funding the operation. "The ISI sponsored fake currency originated from Pakistan and reached India via the UAE in sea cargo," said Singh.
The police arrested two persons from the southwest Indian state of Kerala, Mohammed Ali, and Hamza, in connection with the racket. A police team headed by task force inspector Limba Reddy brought them to the city on Monday. Mohammed Ali reportedly admitted before the police that they were working with Alkaz Obaid Khamis Ali for the commission, according to sources.