Police probe if 7/11 accused had any role

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) is questioning two accused in the Malegaon blasts case to ascertain if they received any support from Faisal Shaikh, a key figure in the Mumbai serial blasts case.

The duo, Mohammed Ali and Asif Bashir Khan, alias Junaid, were first booked for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai blasts and later for the Malegaon blasts. Faisal, a resident of Mira Road who is alleged to be Western India commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, had his schooling in Malegaon. He has been arrested for the July 11 blasts.

The crime branch claimed that the 29-year-old had been in Malegaon for six to seven years during his education at Jamiat-ul-Huda. The ATS is now trying to find out if Faisal had met any of those arrested in connection with the Malegaon blasts and if he had any hand in the conspiracy. On September 8, four bombs went off in Malegaon. The ATS has arrested seven persons in the case, including two Unani doctors, Salman Farsi and Farogh Makhdomi.

The ATS said Ali and Junaid were involved in the hatching of the conspiracy in February. They were arrested in connection with the 7/11 blasts.

The police said that Ali and Farsi were neighbours in Govandi; Ali had even stood surety for Farsi when the latter was arrested by the Govandi police in 2003. Faisal had come to Govandi to meet Ali on several occasions, and the police suspect that Ali might have introduced Farsi to him.

Ali and Junaid are alleged to have transported RDX used in Malegaon. Sources said the police were probing if Faisal also took part in the Malegaon blasts conspiracy or if he provided support to those arrested in the case.

In the 7/11 case, it is alleged that the bombs planted in suburban trains were assembled in Ali’s Govandi house. Faisal was said to be present when the bombs were being made. Later, the bombs were transported from Govandi to Faisal’s Bandra flat, the police said. The police are also exploring if the RDX smuggled to Malegaon came with the huge consignment used in the train bombings. The police said Faisal had even received hawala money to execute the train bombings.

The Times of India, November 16, 2006