Date:30/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/30/stories/2008093050240100.htm

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Blasts suspect held in Lucknow

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: The Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh arrested a suspected Indian Mujahideen operative, Arif alias Abdul Qadeer, near Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Monday. Police claimed that he was involved in the bomb blasts at the Lucknow Civil Court last November and the serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad in July this year.

Arif belongs to Sanjarpur village in Azamgarh district and is said to have translated the alleged terror design into action at the behest of Atif alias Mohammad Basheer, who was killed in an encounter with the Delhi police at Jamia Nagar on September 19.

Director-General of UP Police Vikram Singh said another Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative, Mohammad Saif, passed on Atif’s directives to Arif. Saif was arrested by the Delhi police after the September 19 encounter.

Arif had rented a room in Daliganj area of Lucknow and enrolled for coaching for the Combined Pre-Medical Test, Mr. Singh said. Preliminary interrogation had revealed the terrorists’ source of funding.

Money was being delivered through hawala transactions to IM and Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI) members, who were in regular touch with each other.

Arif ’s interrogation revealed links between the IM and HuJI, but a clear picture would emerge only after a detailed investigation, Mr. Singh said. Arif purportedly told the police that the IM and HuJI members were involved in the bomb blasts at the Lucknow Civil Court.

He met Khalid Mujahid and Sajjad at Charbagh railway station at 8 a.m. on November 23, 2007.

The trio

The trio left for Tile Wali Masjid where Arif showed the bag filled with explosive material to Mujahid and Sajjad, who fixed the timer device for 1.15 p.m. There Arif met Aariz alias Junaid, who the police said was directed by Saif to buy two new bicycles on which the bombs were to be kept.

Arif and Aariz then went to Neebu Park and the Civil Court gate from where the latter went to La Touche Road market and bought two new bicycles.

As for Arif’s role in the Lucknow and Ahmedabad blasts, the DGP said that he planted the explosive devices.

On December 22, 2007, Mujahid and Tariq were arrested for their alleged involvement in the blasts. This was followed by the arrest of Sajjad and Akhtar on December 28. Arif’s name emerged after the four were interrogated, the police chief said.

Arif told his interrogators that Shadaab Malik and others were involved in the Faizabad incident. The Varanasi court blast was the handiwork of Mohammad Saif, Sajid Chhota and others. The Ahmedabad serial blasts were carried out by IM members and Arif said he was among them, the police chief added.