ISI agent 'lured' city youths

hyderabad: the isi suspect, azeez alias ashrafi, had recruited at least five local youth, and was paying them monthly salaries to carry out subversive activities. azeez, along with mohammad nisar, had provided arms training, preparation of improvised explosive devices to the 'recruits' and experimented triggering explosives on the city outskirts. investigations revealed that azeez, in order to pay the young recruits their salaries, had spent a considerable sum out of the rs 9 lakh he received from the isiagents in saudi arabia.he reportedly paid each of them about rs 5,000 per month. based on the information provided by azeez, the police took in custody some of the recruits. although azeez is considered to be a battle-hardened jihadi, having fought battles in chechnya and bosnia, police said he lacked organisational capabilities like the other isi-operatives salim junaid, arrested in 1998 and azam ghouri, killed in a police encounter at karimnagar last year. "we strongly suspect that azeez is being directed by a strong force to carry out militant actions," a senior official said. the police in cooperation with the intelligence bureau are trying to find out whether azeez had been receiving any external financial aid. the police are trying to find out as to how and from where he procured arms and explosive material.