‘Bomber was not trained’

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: Ehtesham Siddiqui, one of the alleged bomb planters in the 7/11 blasts never underwent terror training, unlike his accomplices. He feared that he would be arrested by police if he went across the border. However, he wanted to do something “big’’.

First arrested for unlawful activities during his secondyear mechanical engineering course, Ehtesham had made up his mind to join the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Ehtesham, who originally belongs to Azamgarh district in UP, got admission at Narayan Nagu Patil engineering college at Pen in Raigarh. His father, Qutubuddin, a moulder in a Gulf factory, bought a flat in Mira Road five years ago.

After his arrest, Ehtesham quit his education and headed for Mumbai. Later, he enrolled himself in a Mumbai college but never attended classes. He would stay at Saifya Manzil along with his friend, Danish Reyaz, a sub-editor with an Urdu newspaper. Reyaz was arrested this July for his alleged association with SIMI. Ehtesham was first arrested on July 28 on charges of his association with SIMI and was booked for the serial train blasts 14 days later.

Ehtesham met Faisal, who also stayed in Mira Road, for the first time in Mumbai. Faisal, who has been termed as the western India commander of LeT, introduced himself as a printer. During interrogation, Ehtesham told the police that Faisal had given him Rs 25,000 to publish these books.“Though Faisal sent misguided youths
for training at Pakistan’s Bahawalpur camp organised by LeT, Ehtesham did not dare to go for training. He was afraid of being arrested again,’’ said an officer who had questioned the accused in custody.

Ehtesham told the police Faisal had offered to bear his training expenses in Pakistan, but he refused as he feared that his name would be listed in police records again. He is accused of planting a bomb in a local train which went off near Mira Road station.

The Times of India, October 8, 2006