Wednesday, July 12 2006 09:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist has been arrested with explosives and a large amount in cash in Delhi, even as the national capital was put on high security alert following serial blasts in Mumbai Tuesday evening.

Ajaz Hussain, 43, was arrested near the NBCC Building in the Lodhi Colony area in the centre of the capital Monday, police said Tuesday.

An amount of Rs.4.9 million and 2.05 km RDX were recovered from him, officials said.

"The militant was acting as a carrier for his organisation and the main objective of his Delhi visit was to collect money through 'hawala' (money laundering) channels and deliver it personally to commanders in Jammu and Kashmir," said a senior official of Special Cell.

The officials said Hussain was staying in Jungpura area of south Delhi from where he was also running his business of selling Kashmiri shawls.

"He had been staying in the capital since January," said the official.

"Hussain was reporting to one Mukhtyar Ahmed in Pakistan and had delivered more than Rs.30 million of hawala money to several operatives in Kashmir," he said.

However, he clarified that the arrest in Delhi had nothing to do with the blasts in Mumbai's suburban trains that left at least 100 people dead.

"There is no connection between Hussain and the serial blasts in Mumbai," the official said, adding that further investigations were on to get the details of his activities.

Meanwhile, the serial bombings in Mumbai put security agencies on high alert in the national capital.

"We had received general alert from the intelligence agencies but there is no specific information about any possible attack in the capital," said Dependra Pathak, additional commissioner of police.

"We are on high alert and extra forces have been deployed at all public places in the capital," said Pathak. He said police contingents had been deployed at shrines and vital installations in the capital.

Special alert was sounded at the domestic and international airports; railway stations. Additional armed guard personnel were posted at the metro stations.

"We have deployed spotters at railway stations and interstate bus terminals to identify suspicious characters," said a senior official of the special cell.

The official added that dog squads were deployed at railways stations and busy market places.

"We have also alerted the bomb disposal squad which is on stand by," said the official.