Ahead of 9/11 anniversary, Gitmo photos of mastermind Khalid Sheikh on the web

The first photographs of the self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind at Guantanamo Bay have cropped up on the Internet, and experts say the images of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are being used by terrorist groups to inspire attacks against the United States.

The photographs, taken in July by the Red Cross at the Guantanamo detention centre in Cuba, show Mohammed in a white robe, a red-patterned headdress and a long salt-and-pepper beard.

They are the first known images of Mohammed since shot taken upon his capture in Pakistan in March 2003 showing him in a white T-shirt, with disheveled hair and a moustache. Since then, only courtroom sketches from his trial have been available.

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Bhatkar’s journey: from underworld to terror

In the first clear indication of the links that exist between members of the underworld and terrorist groups, investigating agencies have established Roshan Khan, who is believed to be a co-founder of Indian Mujahideen, is actually Riyaz Bhatkar, a former member of the Fazl-ur-Rehman gang.

“Bhatkar was a former member of the Fazl-ur-Rehman gang and floated the ‘Aryan gang’ that used to operate in Kurla (in Mumbai). He has been involved in Terror activities since he turned radical in 2001,” said a top police officer.

Bhatkar, the police believe, is now hiding out in Pakistan.

Bhatkar’s name had also cropped up during the investigations into the 7/11 and Malegaon blasts. A probe conducted by the Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had revealed that Mohammad Ali Shaikh (also an accused in the 7/11 case) had allegedly received Rs 1.85 lakh through hawala channels from Bhatkar.

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