Author: Somit Sen
Publication: The Times of India
Date: August 2, 2006
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1838640.cms
More than nine lakh riyals - nearly Rs 1.2
crore - were transferred from Saudi Arabia to Mumbai in the past one year
for the 7/11 blasts, said anti-Terrorists squad sources on Tuesday.
A part of the money was used over a period
of six months to plan and execute the blasts on Mumbai's suburban trains,
which highly placed sources said was the job of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which had
used ex-SIMI members.
An officer, involved with the 7/11 investigations,
told TOI that NRIs in Saudi Arabia had funded the Gujarat Muslim Revenge Force
in 2003, when it carried out twin explosions at Gateway of India and Mumbadevi
- killing 53 people.
"A similar group of NRIs funded the train
blasts and the motive again is revenge for the Gujarat carnage. If you see
a list of casualties, 12 men are Gujarati diamond brokers while 25 injured
are Gujarati businessmen. The entire operation was meticulously planned and
terrorists had studied the profile of passengers," the officer stated.
Sources told TOI the money was sent to India
through hawala and at least a dozen locals were involved, including two from
Pune, two from Mumbai and one from Bihar. Those detained in this connection
include Altaf and Badrul Jama, but a key operator, identified as Kamrul, is
still absconding.
Police said while part of the funds received
were used to carry out dry runs, to procure or transport material for explosives,
to arrange accommodation and transport for operatives, a significant amount
is still lying around.
The ATS suspects some of the money has been
stashed away in bank accounts and fixed deposits. At least 10 banks are under
scanner and even the economic offences wing is looking into the matter.
The bank accounts of LeT's operator Faizal
and Tanvir Ansari are being closely studied for transactions in the past six
months, sources said.
A senior ATS officer said investigators have
got identities of those who planted explosives. He added, "There were
only three planters and one chief co-ordinator. The chief's role was to time
the bombs and wait in the subway at Churchgate station."
The modus was simple. The planters waited
for the chief co-ordinator to give a bag and a 'go-ahead' signal following
which they walked up to a platform and boarded a train. While one went in
and kept the bag, the others provided a camouflage.
The trio got down just as the train left the
platform and returned to the subway, where they picked up the next bag. Four
bags were planted on platforms 3 and 4 and three on platforms 1 and 2. The
four then escaped from the subway, police said.
Said an officer, "We are in the process
of finding out names of the funders in Saudi. One of them is called Abu, but
that is not his real name. It is just a title you acquire after receiving
Lashkar training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."
