An official associated with the investigation said that Bashir had handed over the packet containing explosives and some other material to the youths at his Saraimeer house, a few weeks before the blasts in Ahmedabad.

The youths were selected for the job, as they would not evoke suspicion, the official said, adding that they were merely given some money to meet the travel expenses.

According to the police, Bashir had admitted during interrogation that he had taken the two youths twice to the special camps of SIMI that were held in Kerela between 2004 and 2006.

Sources said the youths belong to Azamgarh and Mau. Teams of ATS had conducted raids on Saturday night at various hideouts to trace them and questioned some of their relatives.

Deputy Inspector General (ATS) Rajiv Krishna said: “The ATS had been following Bashir even before the Ahmedabad police passed on information about him. We are working on the information collected from Bashir.”

The DIG also said the involvement of SIMI network in blasts and other subversive activities in UP had yet not come to the light.