Jail turns fortress ahead of 26/11 verdict

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: The city police is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that no untoward incident takes place on May 3—the day of final judgment. With the special court conducting 26/11 trial all set to pronounce its verdict on Monday, security in and around the high-security cell housing Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab has been stepped up.

For the last one-and-a-half year, Kasab (22)—the lone 26/11 terrorist to be captured alive—has been lodged at the Arthur Road jail. “We have received some intelligence alerts, but they are not specific,’’ said a senior police official. While one can see the deployment of Indo-Tibetan Boarder Police (ITBP) around the Arthur Road jail, the security for the judgment day will be increased, confirmed the official.

Restrictions were imposed on the movement of traffic around the jail after Kasab was moved there. “We have no special plan to stop traffic on the same route on Monday, but we are analysing the situation,’’ said the official.

Commandos from the Quick Response Team (QRT) have been deployed around all the four walls of the prison and local are being frisked regularly. Cops from the N M Joshi Marg, Byculla and several other police stations as well as personnel from the armed forces are on round-the-clock bandobast duty outside the jail. “Maintaining law and order is top priority. The whole wold would be watching the trial,’’ said the official.

The Times of India, May 1, 2010

Maha state of terror despite spate of attacks

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Come Monday and the special court judge will pronounce the verdict on 26/11 gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab, in what is probably the fastest terror trial in not just the state, but the country. Before that, Maharshtra celebrates its 50th anniversary. But interestingly, there have been more terror strikes in Maharashtra and Mumbai, (except Jammu and Kashmir) between 2001 and 2010, though only 15 terrorists were killed and three convicted.

Since 2001, 485 persons were killed while 2,077 were injured in 52 incidents of terrorism in the state. Data gathered by TOI from across the country shows Delhi had 100 deaths, Gujarat 87, Rajasthan 73, Andhra Pradesh 50, Karnataka 2, and there were no terror attacks in Chennai and Kolkata.

Time and again, Maharashtra has been targeted by terrorists. But even a year-and-a-half after the 26/11 attacks and a few months after Pune blasts, there have been no preventive detentions of suspects part of sleeper cells. Asked why the police do not have an effective strategy to pre-empt collaborators of various outfits, an officer replied, “On what charges should we book them?”

Clearly, the lack of political and executive will has translated into lax surveillance and poor information-gathering. The Malegaon blasts of September 2006 are a case in point. “Prime conspirator, Shabbir Masiullah, was caught much before the blasts but Mumbai crime branch police failed to extract information from him regarding the bombings,’’ said a source. The 2008 Malegaon blast also caught the IB and state intelligence sleeping.

In the last nine years, the state topped terror casualties, four times as many as the next worst-affected, Delhi. In 2001, two armed terrorists killed around a dozen people in the Parliament attack. Gujarat saw casualties in different terror attacks including the strike at Akshardham temple, Ahmedabad serial blasts etc. In Rajasthan, nine bombs killed 70 in 2008 and three were killed in a 2007 explosion at Ajmer shrine. Bangalore had 1 firing at the Indian Institute of Science, in which a researcher was killed, in 2008 eight bombs exploded killing a woman, on April 17 this year,2 blasts at Chinnaswamy stadium injured 17.

Experts say Mumbai has been repeatedly targeted due to its prominent position the city enjoys and the absence of pro-active measures to provide adequate security. Former RAW official B Raman said Mumbai has been a soft target because of its “financial status’’. “A lot of publicity is given to such attacks and the city is economically advanced than others.To prevent such attacks, a public-police relationship and a good police set up is a must,’’he said.

But only 15 terrorists were gunned down. Moreover, encounters after all blasts between 2003-07 followed a specific script—Mumbai police guns down an ‘LeT operative’ and recovers automatic rifles and ammunition from a Maruti 800. For instance,Mohammed Ali alias Osama, a Faisalabad resident, was gunned down by the ATS in a deserted building at Antop Hill. After three blasts in 2002-03, Andheri crime intelligence unit officers led by now-disgraced Pradip Sharma gunned down three alleged terrorists near Goregaon flyover on March 29, 2003. Those killed were identified as Abu Sultan (suspected to be LeT’s southern India commander), Iqbal Vani, a Srinagar resident and Abu Javed. Sultan and Javed were residents of Lahore. Police seized an AK-56, Rs 5 lakh, timers, switches, detonators and the Maruti-800 car they were travelling in, and said they were behind the Ghatkopar blast. After the Zaveri Bazaar and Gateway blasts, the crime branch gunned down two suspects, Hasan Ahmed, a Hyderabad resident and Nisar. Police claimed they were travelling in a Maruti 800 with firearms. And only three—involved in the Zaveri Bazaar blasts—were convicted.

Maharashtra’s Menace:

Terror strikes in state since January 1, 2000 to February 13, 2010
Total Killed 485 (Mumbai toll 427)
Total Injured 2,077 (Mumbai victims 1,532)
Total Terror Strikes: 52
Total Accused Arrested: 90
Total Accused Wanted: 67
Total Convicted: 3 (The Zaveri Bazaar and Gateway of India blast perpetrators, of which two got death sentence, a woman got life imprisonment)


How Others Fared :

Delhi 2000-08
Killed 100 , Injured 374

Gujarat 2002-08
Killed 87 , Injured 291

Andhra Pradesh 2007
Killed 50 , Injured 100

K’taka (Bangalore) 2005-10
Killed 2 , Injured 25

Rajasthan 2007-08
Killed 73 , Injured 223
--------------------------------------------------


----MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI

* December 2, 2002
Ghatkopar, BEST bus Killed: 2 Injured: 60

* December 6, 2002
Mumbai Central, McDonald's Killed: None Injured: 25

* Jan 27, 2003
Outside Vile Parle railway station Killed: 1 Injured: 32

* March 13, 2003
Mulund train Killed: 11 Injured: 82

* July 28, 2003
Second blast at on a BEST bus at Ghatkopar Killed: none Injured: 32

* August 25, 2003
Twin blasts at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar Killed: 52 Injured: 200

* July 11, 2006
Seven bomb blasts in local trains Killed: 188 Injured: 829

November 26-29, 2008: Ten trained Pakistani terrorists killed 164 people including 18 foreign nationals at 12 different locations in the city. A total of 304 persons were injured. The important locations were Hotel Taj Mahal, Hotel Trident, Nariman House, CST railway station etc. During the operations, nine terrorists were killed while one was captured alive.


TERROR STIRKE IN THE OTHER PARTS OF MAHARSHTRA

* November 21, 2003: A bomb thrown outside Parbhani's Mohammedia mosque during the Friday prayers injured five persons.

* August 27, 2004: A bomb thrown at the Jama masjid in Malipura, Jalna district injured 12.

* August 27, 2004: A bomb exploded in a mosque at Siddharth Nagar in Purna, Parbhani district injured 18.

* April 6, 2006: A bomb went off while being manufacutred by the RSS members in Nanded. Two killed on the spot, two died in the hosptial. One was injured.

* September 8, 2006: Four bombs fitted on cycles in a mosque and at a famous chowk in the textile town Malegaon killed 31, injured 312 others. SIMI was held responsible for the blast.

* June 6, 2006: Three explosions at cineraj theatre in Panvel, Thane's Gadkari Rangayatan theatre and Vashi's auditorioum injured eight. The bombs were planted by the members of Sanatan Sanstha in protest of a marathi play, Aamhi Paachpute.

* September 29, 2008: A bomb fitted on a motor cycle by the members of Abhinav Bharat outfit killed six and injured 101 others at Bhikku chowk in Malegaon.

* April 4, 2009: A bomb fitted in a mosque Beed district went off. No one was injured since the explosion occured at 3 am and no devotee was in the mosque.

* Februray 13, 2010: An RDX bomb kept at German Bakery in Koregaon Park near Osho's Ashram in Pune killed 17 and injured 56 others. Indian Mujahideen is the prime suspect in this case.

-------------------------------

-----DELHI'S DECADE OF TERROR (100 killed, 374 injured)
* September 27, 2008: A blast killed one persons and injured seven others at Mehrauli in Delhi.

* September 13, 2008: Five bombs went off in New Delhi between 6.10 pm and 6.38 pm killing 25 people and injuring 100 others. Bombs fitted in an auto, cycle and kept in dustbin went off at Ghaffar Market, Karol Bagh, Central Park, Barakhamba Road near Gopaldas building, GK I, M Block Market, GK I, M Block Market etc.

* April 14, 2006 | Jama Masjid, 14 injured in 2 blasts
* Oct 29, 2005 | Sarojini Nagar, Paharganj, Govindpuri, 59 killed, 155 injured
* May 22, 2005 | 2 cinemas, 1 killed, 60 hurt

* Dec 13, 2001: Attack on the parliament by five terrorists. Six police personnel and a civilian were killed. The terrorists were also shot down.

* Aug 11, 2001 | South Ex, 2 hurt
* May 9, 2001 | Army HQ, 1 hurt

* June 18, 2000 | Red Fort, 2 died
* Mar 16, 2000 | Sadar Bazaar, 7 injured

* Feb 27, 2000 | Paharganj, 8 hurt hurt

* Jan 6, 2000 | Old Delhi Station, 20 injured


--------GUJARAT (Killed 87, injured 291)

* September 29, 2008: A bomb blast at Modasa, a 15-year-old boy died and 12 injured.

* July 26, 2008: Twenty one blasts, spread over 70 minutes, killed 56 and injured 200 others.

* July 27-28, 2008: Twenty nine bombs were recovered.

* September 25, 2002: Two heavily armed terrorists killed 30 people and injured 79 others inside the historical Akshardham temple in Gujarat.


-----------ANDHRA PRADESH (killed 50, injured 100)

* May 18, 2007: A bomb planted inside the Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid killed nine persons and injured 50 other.

* August 25, 2007: Twin blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat in Hyderabad killed 41 people and injured 50 others.



------------Karnataka (BANGALORE) {Two killed, 25 injured}

* December 29, 2005: Unidentified man opened fire near Indian Institute of Science and killed one person
* July 25, 2008: Eight bombs exploded, one woman was killed, eight persons were injured
* April 17, 2010: Two bombs exploded at the Chinnaswaym stadium injuring 17 persons. Three other bombs were defused.


-------------RAJASTHAN: {Killed 73, injured 223}

* May 13, 2008: Nine bombs exploded within a span of 15 minutes in Jaipur. The bombs killed 70 and left 216 injured.

* October 11, 2007: Three persons were killed and seven others injured in a blast at Ajmer Sharif shrine.


------ Kolkata No terror attack

------ Chennai No terror attack



The Times of India, April 30, 2010

Maha state of terror despite spate of attacks

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Come Monday and the special court judge will pronounce the verdict on 26/11 gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab, in what is probably the fastest terror trial in not just the state, but the country. Before that, Maharshtra celebrates its 50th anniversary. But interestingly, there have been more terror strikes in Maharashtra and Mumbai, (except Jammu and Kashmir) between 2001 and 2010, though only 15 terrorists were killed and three convicted.
Since 2001, 485 persons were killed while 2,077 were injured in 52 incidents of terrorism in the state. Data gathered by TOI from across the country shows Delhi had 100 deaths, Gujarat 87, Rajasthan 73, Andhra Pradesh 50, Karnataka 2, and there were no terror attacks in Chennai and Kolkata.
Time and again, Maharashtra has been targeted by terrorists. But even a year-and-a-half after the 26/11 attacks and a few months after Pune blasts, there have been no preventive detentions of suspects part of sleeper cells. Asked why the police do not have an effective strategy to pre-empt collaborators of various outfits, an officer replied, “On what charges should we book them?”
Clearly, the lack of political and executive will has translated into lax surveillance and poor information-gathering. The Malegaon blasts of September 2006 are a case in point. “Prime conspirator, Shabbir Masiullah, was caught much before the blasts but Mumbai crime branch police failed to extract information from him regarding the bombings,’’ said a source. The 2008 Malegaon blast also caught the IB and state intelligence sleeping.
In the last nine years, the state topped terror casualties, four times as many as the next worst-affected, Delhi. In 2001, two armed terrorists killed around a dozen people in the Parliament attack. Gujarat saw casualties in different terror attacks including the strike at Akshardham
temple, Ahmedabad serial blasts etc. In Rajasthan, nine bombs killed 70 in 2008 and three were killed in a 2007 explosion at Ajmer shrine. Bangalore had 1 firing at the Indian Institute of Science, in which a researcher was killed, in 2008 eight bombs exploded killing a woman, on April 17 this year,2 blasts at Chinnaswamy stadium injured 17.
Experts say Mumbai has been repeatedly targeted due to its prominent position the city enjoys and the absence of pro-active measures to provide adequate security. Former RAW official B Raman said Mumbai has been a soft target because of its “financial status’’. “A lot of publicity is given to such attacks and the city is economically advanced than others.To prevent such attacks, a public-police relationship and a good police set up is a must,’’he said.
But only 15 terrorists were gunned down. Moreover, encounters after all blasts between 2003-07 followed a specific script—Mumbai police guns down an ‘LeT operative’ and recovers automatic rifles and ammunition from a Maruti 800. For instance,Mohammed Ali alias Osama, a Faisalabad resident, was gunned down by the ATS in a deserted building at Antop Hill. After three blasts in 2002-03, Andheri crime intelligence unit officers led by now-disgraced Pradip Sharma gunned down three alleged terrorists near Goregaon flyover on March 29, 2003. Those killed were identified as Abu Sultan (suspected to be LeT’s southern India commander), Iqbal Vani, a Srinagar resident and Abu Javed. Sultan and Javed were residents of Lahore. Police seized an AK-56, Rs 5 lakh, timers, switches, detonators and the Maruti-800 car they were travelling in, and said they were behind the Ghatkopar blast. After the Zaveri Bazaar and Gateway blasts, the crime branch gunned down two suspects, Hasan Ahmed, a Hyderabad resident and Nisar. Police claimed they were travelling in a Maruti 800 with firearms. And only three—involved in the Zaveri Bazaar blasts—were convicted.

Maharashtra’s Menace
Terror strikes in state since January 1, 2000 to February 13, 2010
Total Killed 485 (Mumbai toll 427) Total Injured 2,077 (Mumbai victims 1,532) Total Terror Strikes: 52 Total Accused Arrested: 90 Total Accused Wanted: 67 Total Convicted: 3 (The Zaveri Bazaar and Gateway of India blast perpetrators, of which two got death sentence, a woman got life imprisonment)

How Others Fared

Delhi 2000-08
Killed 100 , Injured 374

Gujarat 2002-08
Killed 87 , Injured 291

Andhra Pradesh 2007
Killed 50 , Injured 100

K’taka (Bangalore) 2005-10
Killed 2 , Injured 25

Rajasthan 2007-08
Killed 73 , Injured 223

The Times of India, April 30, 2010

19-year-old arrested for abducting girl

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The Kurla GRP on Tuesday arrested a 19-yearold woman on charges of abducting a 13-year-old girl by luring her with a job promise in Mumbai. The accused had brought the teenager from UP but as soon as she alighted from the train in Mumbai, she was arrested.

The victim’s relatives claimed that the accused, Momina Mansuri, wanted to sell the girl. Mansuri told the police that two years ago, she was also lured to Mumbai with a job promise and then sold off to a bar in Vapi. Similarly, a man in Vapi had now promised her Rs 5,000 if she could get them a girl, Mansuri said. Mansuri and the girl stayed in the same locality at Siddharth Nagar in UP. On April 25, the girl left home with Mansuri. “She was arrested on reaching Mumbai.

The Times of India, April 29, 2010

19-year-old arrested for abducting girl

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The Kurla GRP on Tuesday arrested a 19-yearold woman on charges of abducting a 13-year-old girl by luring her with a job promise in Mumbai. The accused had brought the teenager from UP but as soon as she alighted from the train in Mumbai, she was arrested.

The victim’s relatives claimed that the accused, Momina Mansuri, wanted to sell the girl. Mansuri told the police that two years ago, she was also lured to Mumbai with a job promise and then sold off to a bar in Vapi. Similarly, a man in Vapi had now promised her Rs 5,000 if she could get them a girl, Mansuri said. Mansuri and the girl stayed in the same locality at Siddharth Nagar in UP. On April 25, the girl left home with Mansuri. “She was arrested on reaching Mumbai.

The Times of India, April 29, 2010

SC upholds MCOCA charges in three terror-related cases

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the decision to invoke Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 7/11 train blasts and two other terror-related cases.

A bench of Justice R V Ravindran and Justice Kukundam Sharma dimissed the appeal challenging the constitutional validity of the Act and upheld the Bombay high court’s judgment.

In 2007, Saeed Ahmed, son of 7/11 train blast accused Sohail Shaikh, Shabbir Masiullah arrested for the 2006 Malegaon blast and Zameer Rehman, an accused in the Aurangabad arms haul case, had filed petition in HC, challenging the constitutional validity of MCOCA. When the HC upheld the decision to slap MCOCA, the accused moved the SC in 2008; the apex court stayed the trial of the three.

Gulzar Azmi, secretary of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema (Hind), said their orgamisation had been offering legal help to the petitioners. “We are not satisfied with this judgment and we will not give up,’’ said Azmi. Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, who represented the petitioners, said, “The SC had upheld the Bombay HC’s order but I have not yet read the judgment yet.’’

Earlier all the three cases were investigated by the Maharashtra ATS. But now, the CBI has taken over the 2006 Malegaon bomb blast, which killed 31; 7/11 train blast and the Aurangabad arms haul case are still with the ATS.

The petitioners had claimed that the government did not have the power to draft its own law (MCOCA). Pointing to Section 2(1) (e) of MCOCA, 1999, which refers to “promoting of insurgency’’, the petition questioned the constitutional validity of the law. Earlier, the HC ruled that the Act was valid and did not make inroads into the legislative powers of the Centre. The petitioners’ argument was that the provision under MCOCA regarding “promoting insurgency’’ under Section 2 (e) and allied sections was in conflict with that of the Unalwful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (amended in 2004). Rehman, in his petition, which was rejected by the HC, challenged Section 2 (1)(e), on the grounds that the state government did not have the legislative competence to enact the section dealing with “promoting insurgency’’.

Terror Footprint In Maharashtra

Aurngabad arms haul: In May and June 2006, the ATS arrested 19 suspected SIMI members on charges of carrying, hiding and possessing firearms. The police had first arrested three persons on May 6, 2006, near Chandavd-Aurangabad highway and seized RDX and AK-47 assault rifles from them. Later, the police seized 50 bombs, 43 kg RDX, 3,200 bullets and 16 AK-47 rifles. The police invoked MCOCA in the case

2006 Malegaon blasts: On September 8, four bombs exploded in Malegaon, killing 31 people and injuring 297. The explosives, which were fitted to cycles, went off when the final round of Friday prayers were on. The bombs contained RDX, oil fuel, shrapnel and ammonium nitrate. Nine alleged SIMI members were arrested on charges of conspiring and executing the blasts. The case, after being started by the ATS, was shifted to the CBI. The police had invoked MCOCA

7/11 train blasts: Seven RDX bombs kept in the first class coaches of suburban trains exploded on July 11, killing 188 people and injuring 817. The ATS said the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and at least five of the 13 arrested persons had gone to Pakistan for terror training. The police said the Pakistan’s LeT had used SIMI to engineer the explosions. MCOCA was applied in this case

The Times of India, April 24, 2010

Two held for assault over property dispute

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The JJ Marg police arrested two persons in c o n n e c t i o n with an attempt to kill five people, including two women over a property dispute, last week. The dispute was over the ownership of a room located at Handia Street in Nagpada where the victims reside.

Those arrested were Nadeem Haddi (20) and Moin Asif Shaikh (23). The police have recovered a dagger and a sword from them. The two accused have been sent to police custody till April 23. Now, the police are on the lookout for Aslam Sheru (52), a Tada convict, who along with six aides, attacked and injured five of his siblings with knives. Sheru, said the police, is a contract killer and was in jail for 16 years before he was released in November 2009.

Sheru, said the police, took to crime in his late 20s. Starting as a small-time extortionist, he graduated to bigger crimes like supari killing.

According to the police, Sheru was arrested in an extortion case and was taken to the Mazgaon court on February 14, 1990 when he managed to flee though he was handcuffed. Sheru was finally traced and arrested by the crime branch in 1994 from Bangalore. “During this time, he took supari and killed 11 persons. Sheru was also involved in the murder of one Amar Suvarna. Sheru along with his accomplices had shot down Suvarna near the sessions court and fled from the spot. The case was registered under Tada.’’

An officer said he made Bangalore his base and hired two youths to execute operations according to his instructions. “In the Suvarna murder case, the supari was given by drug peddler Iqbal Mirchi. Suvarna owed some money to Mirchi but he delayed the payment. This made Mirchi angry and he gave Suvarna’s supari,’’ said an officer.

Sheru used his long association with the D-gang and would take supari openly. He was involved in as many as 32 cases including 11 murders, two attempts to murder, extortion and robbery cases. “After his arrest in 1994, the police recovered a sten-gun and 180 live rounds, which were hidden in the base of his building. He was charged under the Arms Act as well,’’ said police sources.

He was convicted under Tada for 10 years and was also sentenced to two life terms in jail. Later, the high court merged the two life terms into one and he was released from jail in November last year for his ‘good behaviour’.

The Times of India, April 23, 2010