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Akshardham: 5 held, Lashkar, Jaish 'role'

Akshardham: 5 held, Lashkar, Jaish 'role'

Author:
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: August 30, 2003

Two are ones who ran relief camp, Govt says they drafted terror letter

Almost a year after terrorists stormed Akshardham and one day after the investigation was transferred to another police agency, Commissioner of Police K R Kaushik announced today that the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) had arrested five people from the Walled City.

Incidentally, three days ago, residents of Dariapur had come out on the streets to protest against the alleged illegal detention of locals, including these five accused, and had appealed to Kaushik to take steps in this regard.

Two of those arrested, Mufti Abdul Kayum Mansuri and Maulvi Abdullamian Yasinmian Saiyeed, are Muslim religious leaders from Dariapur area and were organisers of a riot relief camp in the same area during the post-Godhra communal frenzy. Others have been identified as Salim Hanif Sheikh, a resident of Dariapur, Altaf Akbarhussain Malek and Adam Suleman Ajmeri, both residents of Shahpur. Kaushik claimed the accused ''confessed'' to having provided ''local support'' to the two terrorists who were gunned down by NSG commandoes on September 25.

He said the probe showed that the attack was carried out jointly by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba with support from Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI and that the conspiracy was hatched in Riyadh by Abu Talah, Abu Sufian and Salim and Rashid Ajmeri. Kaushik added that POTA would be imposed in the case.

He also said that the DGP had yesterday transfered the investigation, which till now was being conducted by the state Anti-Terrorist Squad, to the DCB.

Kaushik said the draft of the two letters found from the person of the two killed terrorists - who the accused have identified as Hafiz Yasir and Mohammed Farooq - had been prepared by the two Muslim clerics and that the letters were written by Mufti Abdul Kayum.

However, he admitted that handwriting experts are yet to verify the handwriting found on the letters. When asked what was the basis then of his allegations, he said: ''Prima facie, it seems after comparing the handwriting on the two letters with that of Mufti Abdul Kayum. It is yet to be verified.'' Kaushik said investigations had revealed that the two slain terrorists had arrived in the city a week before the attack, whereas another terrorist Ayubkhan reached the city days earlier.

The four - the two slain terrorists, Ayubkhan and Adam Ajmeri - visited several places in the city and Gandhinagar - the BJP office in Khanpur area, VHP office in Paldi area, Bhadrakali Temple in Karanj area, Mahakali Temple in Dudheshwar area, Dharnidhar Derasar in Vasna area and the State Legislative Assembly Building, the sachivalaya, garden at Sector 28 and Akshardham temple.

It was after paying a visit to all these places that the terrorists decided to target Akshardham Temple, which according to their confessional statements, was because it would create maximum panic and ''offer no resistance.''

Kaushik said the accused have told the police that the two AK-56 rifles and hand grenades used by the two slain terrorists had been provided by Adam.

About the source of the weapons, Kaushik said: ''We are yet to ascertain as to from where the weapons were brought to the city and who gave them to Adam.'' He, however, said that the accused had confessed that Adam and Ayubkhan were present at Akshardham temple when the two terrorists started their attack.

And that after they had verified that the attack had began, they left the temple complex with other persons and on returning to the city informed three persons in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Abu Talah, Abu Sufian and Salim and Rashid Ajmeri that the attack had started successfully.
 


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