NEW DELHI: Intelligence and police authorities in Jammu and Kashmir had placed Tariq Ahmad Dar, a Srinagar resident alleged to have organised the New Delhi serial bombings, under surveillance six months ago. However, resource constraints forced them to drop the operation — and to thus miss clear signals that a major terrorist operation was being planned.

Highly placed sources told The Hindu that police and intelligence authorities had decided to place Dar under surveillance in April this year, after he was arrested for funnelling cash from Saudi Arabia to the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Jammu and Kashmir. As new priorities emerged, the Dar operation was relegated to a low priority. Investigators thus remained unaware of an unusual flow of funds from the United Arab Emirates, and of Dar's contacts with several key Lashkar operatives in Srinagar.

The funds trail

Investigators have found that a total of just over Rs. 2.3 million was wired from the United Arab Emirates into two separate bank accounts held by Dar at the HDFC Bank's Srinagar branch. One remittance of Rs. 1.85 million was made in June, soon after he was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police authorities on charges of funnelling funds to the Lashkar. Four smaller wire transfers, collectively amounting to Rs. 4,86,000, were made in subsequent months.

Officials did not name the originator of the funds, but sources said suspicion was focussed on Abdul Bari and Abdul Karim, both long-serving Lashkar operatives. Bari, a one-time Hyderabad resident now believed to be based in Saudi Arabia, last year financed efforts to recruit cadre from the riot-hit areas of Ahmedabad. Karim, who is thought to shuttle between the Lashkar's headquarters near Lahore and the United Arab Emirates, is wanted in connection with several bombings dating back to 1993.

Dar's role in the Lashkar became known to authorities early this year, as a result of a wiretap operation targeting the organisation's undercover operatives. On April 19, shortly after he returned to Srinagar from the Haj pilgrimage, Dar was arrested on charges of handling funds for a Pakistan-based terrorist group. Investigators recovered 73,000 Saudi Riyals from the Delhi bombings suspect. Arguing that the money was given to him by a friend for legitimate business activities, Dar succeeded in obtaining bail.

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