Author:
Publication: icWales
Date: September 1, 2003
URL: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0700world/content_objectid=13358128_method=full_siteid=50082_headline=-Muslim-family-accused-of-bombings-name_page.html
Indian police today arrested two
men and two women - including a married couple and their daughter - and
charged them with three Bombay bombings to avenge the deaths of Muslims
in religious riots.
The city, India's financial hub,
was the target of twin bombings last week which killed 52 people and wounded
150 others.
All four were arrested under India's
tough anti-terrorism law.
Arshad Ansari, 26, Fahimida Syed
Mohammed Hanif, 37, and her daughter Farheen Rahim, 18 appeared in court
today.
The fourth accused, Hanif's husband
Syed Rahim, 45, did not appear because he in hospital with high blood pressure.
The four were part of a local unit
of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, one of the main militant groups
active in violent attacks in Indian-controlled Kashmir, said Bombay Police
Commissioner Ranjit Sharma.
'They call themselves the Gujarat
Muslim Revenge Force,' he said.
Although many Muslims died in last
week's blasts, the government believes the attacks could be linked to the
religious riots in western Gujarat state last year. More than 1,000 people,
mostly Muslims, were killed after Muslims set a train on fire and killed
60 Hindus.
"After the Gujarat riots, some of
them went to Dubai and met people there. This is a big conspiracy," said
Chhagan Bhujbal, the state's deputy chief minister.
"There cannot be only two or four
people behind it. Police are still investigating."
Judge AP Bangale ordered the four
into custody until September 15. The mother and daughter wore veils over
their heads as they walked into the court.
They have been charged with involvement
in the August 25 bombings and a July 28 blast on a bus in which three people
were killed and 31 others were wounded.
The accused had also placed a bomb
at an industrial enclave outside Bombay but it failed to explode, police
said.
"All four are accused in the three
bombings," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Suresh Wali Shetty, the
investigating officer. He said the mother was believed to have planted
the bomb in the bus.
Police recovered 205 gelatin sticks,
20 detonators, 12 timers, wires and soldering machines, police said.
The suspects could face the death
penalty if found guilty.
"They have been charged for striking
terror in the minds of people and committing terrorist acts," said public
prosecutor Rohini Salian.
The Indian government has blamed
the attacks on pro- Pakistan Muslim militants from Kashmir. Bombay police
officers have said RDX, an explosive favoured by Kashmiri separatist guerrillas,
was used in both Bombay attacks.
Pakistan, India's rival and neighbour,
condemned the dual bombings.
India accuses Islamic Pakistan of
arming and funding Muslim militants who've been fighting since 1989 for
Muslim- majority Kashmir's independence from predominantly Hindu India.
More than 63,000 people have been killed in the insurgency.
Pakistan says it backs the rebels
with ideology, but not weapons or money.
