Author: Mateen Hafeez
Publication: The Times of India
Date: March 5, 2009
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/No-Pakistani-involved-in-train-blasts/rssarticleshow/4225445.cms
The alleged founder of Indian Mujahideen (IM),
Sadiq Shaikh, told the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that no Pakistani was involved
in manufacturing bombs that were used in July 11, 2006 train blasts in Mumbai.
This contradicts ATS' earlier theory that some Pakistanis had assembled the
bombs containing RDX.
The ATS and an Intelligence Bureau (IB) team
were surprised when Sadiq (31) told them that he and his associates were behind
the train blasts. Sadiq had told this to the crime branch when he was arrested
five months ago. ATS had earlier raised doubts over Sadiq's involvement in
the 7/11 case, saying the use of "pressure cooker'' for planting bombs
was not the IM pattern.
Following a series of media reports, the ATS
was forced to take him into custody on February 21. "Dr Shahnawaz (wanted
suspect), Atif Ameen and Mohammed Sajid (both killed in last year's Batla
house encounter in Delhi) were part of the plot. The RDX was procured by Riyaz
Bhatkal alias Roshan Jamal (wanted suspect). The bombs were made four days
in advance in Sewri. No Pakistani was present when the bombs were manufactured,''
Sadiq is believed to have told the ATS.
The ATS and the IB had claimed that the RDX
was procured by a Pakistani, Ehasanullah, and that the bombs were manufactured
with the help of Pakistanis at Govandi.
Most of the IB officials along with the ATS,
who are currently questioning Sadiq, had "thoroughly questioned'' the
7/11 suspects in 2006 before "being satisfied'' over the arrest of 13
suspected SIMI members by the ATS. During that time, neither the IB nor the
other security agencies had doubted the arrests.
An ATS officer said Sadiq was changing his
statements frequently. "Sometimes, he says that he, along with Dr Shahnawaz
and others, had manufactured the bombs, but changes his statement in an instant.
According to him, Shahnawaz's brother, Saif (arrested suspect), was not aware
of the 7/11 conspiracy,'' said an officer, "When Shahnawaz and Saif were
aware about the Delhi blasts, how come Saif didn't know about the train blast
conspiracy.''