13/7 bomb was assembled near Byculla police stn

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Investigations show that one of the three 13/7 bombs, the one that was exploded at Zaveri Bazar, was fitted into a stolen scooter at a garage just a stone’s throw from Byculla police station. Police say the Activa scooter, stolen from Khetwadi on either July 11 or 12, was taken by the Indian Mujahideen terrorists to the garage, which is in the compound of an oil mill.

Shockingly, the probe shows that the three IM men, including leader Yasin Bhatkal, were living under the nose of the Byculla cops even after the attacks and fled Mumbai only after a Delhi businessman was detained by the ATS around January 8 or 9, 2012. The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had even been tapping a mobile number, 9433524***, which Yasin Bhatkal is suspected to have used in Mumbai and which was apparently obtained using fake documents in Kolkata. The 13/7 blasts claimed 27 lives.

Did ATS botch up Bhatkal arrest?
Prafulla Marpakwar & S Ahmed Ali TNN Adetention made by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) around January 8 or 9 is being blamed for botching up the Delhi police’s chance to nab Indian Mujahideen leader Yasin Bhatkal, who escaped after news of the detention leaked. However, home minister R R Patil denied any botch-up and backed ATS investigations into 13/7. P 3

The Times of India, January 17,2012