Date:30/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/30/stories/2008093055851200.htm

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Suspect in U.P., Gujarat blasts arrested

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh arrested a suspected Indian Mujahideen operative, Arif alias Abdul Qadeer, near the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Monday.

Police claimed that he was involved in the bomb blasts in the Lucknow Civil Court in November last 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 in Jamia Nagar on September 19.

State Director-General of Police Vikram Singh said that another 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 the Daliganj area of the State capital and enrolled for coaching for the Combined Pre-Medical Test (CPMT), Mr. Singh said. Preliminary interrogation had revealed the terrorists’ source of funding. Money was being delivered through hawala transactions to the 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 told the police that the IM and HuJI members were involved in the bomb blasts in the Lucknow Civil Court.

He met Khalid Mujahid and Sajjad at the Charbagh railway station at 8 a.m. on November 23, 2007. 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 at 1.15 p.m. There Arif met Aariz alias Junaid, who 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 the Neebu park and the Civil Court gate from where the latter went to La Touche Road market and bought two new cycles.

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

Interrogated

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 Mohd. Saif, Sajid Chhota and others. The Ahmedabad serial blasts were carried out by IM members and Arif said he was among them, according to the police chief.