Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: July 22, 2006
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/8989.html
Introduction: Two picked up from north Bihar
village, one from Mumbai for Matunga blast; cops point to Nepal, Bangla terror
groups, Pak link 'direct or indirect'
Ten days after Terrible Tuesday's serial blasts,
the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) claimed this morning to have achieved
a "breakthrough" with the arrest of two persons from Bihar and one
from Navi Mumbai in connection with the blast at Matunga, one of the seven
on 7/11.
ATS officials said they are relatives and
were arrested after investigators received information from "reliable
sources" about their alleged involvement.
Those arrested: Kamal Ahmed Ansari (32) and
Khalid Aziz Ronak (24) from Basupatti village in Madhubani district of north
Bihar and Mumtaz Ahmed Maqbool Ahmed (38) from the Thurbe suburb of Navi Mumbai.
Kamal is Mumtaz's brother-in-law and Khalid
a relative. ATS claimed to have recovered from Kamal half a kilogram of explosive
substance in powder form, suspected to be gunpowder.
Ansari was arrested by the Delhi Police some
years ago for the possession of an AK-47 rifle, said ATS chief Joint Commissioner
of Police K P Raghuvanshi.
When the three were produced before Additional
Metropolitan Magistrate A V Shettye, the ATS sought police custody until July
24 but the magistrate, citing the seriousness of the charges-including murder,
attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, Arms Act-granted custody until July
30.
"Investigations have till now revealed
involvement of terror groups from Nepal and Bangladesh and, in turn, point
at direct or indirect involvement of Pakistan,'' said Raghuvanshi. In the
Maharashtra Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil was more direct: ''Pakistan
has asked for proof. We have enough evidence to prove that terrorist organisations
based in Pakistan are behind it (the serial blasts)."