Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 6, 2010
The Calcutta HC on Friday upheld the death
sentence to Aftab Ansari and his associate Jamiluddin Nasir in the attack
on the American Centre in Kolkata on January 22, 2002, that left five policemen
dead and 12 injured. The shooting turned out to be part of a global terror
strategy with links to 9/11.
Five other death row convicts in the case
were given a lease of life, with the court acquitting Adil Hasan and Rehan
Alam alias Monty. It held Musarrat Hussain, Hasrat Alam and Sakir Akhtar guilty
only of forgery. Since they have spent eight years behind bars, the trio will
also be set free.
The American Center attack was Kolkata's first
brush with terrorism. Two motorcycle-borne youths struck the United States
Information Centre around 6 am, just when the night security detail was being
relieved. The policemen, who were in the middle of a change of guard, were
caught completely unawares.
Within hours, Aftab, who was running his racket
from Dubai, claimed responsibility. Till then, he was known only as the mastermind
of the abduction of Khadim's vicepresident Partha Pratim Roy Burman in July
2001. Police found that Aftab was a close associate of Kolkata-born Asif Reza
Khan, who was killed in an encounter in Rajkot. The USIS attack was in revenge
for Asif's death. Asif was the brother of Amir Reza Khan, the founder of Indian
Mujahideen.
