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ATS to grill IM founder in 11/7 blasts case
The anti-terrorism squad is set to take Indian Mujahideen co-founder Mohammed Sheikh (31) into its custody for interrogation in the 2006 train blasts case, reports Presley Thomas.
The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) is set to take Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Mohammed Sheikh (31) into its custody for interrogation in the 2006 train blasts case.
“We have received a communication which mentions his role in the blasts,” Additional Director General of Police (ATS) KP Raghuvanshi said. “We want to question him to ascertain it.”
The ATS intends to grill Sheikh about the involvement of the terror outfit he co-founded in the near-simultaneous bomb blasts on Western line trains on July 11, 2006.
The blasts killed 209 people and injured over 700.
Last year, on October 14, the Hindustan Times had first reported that the IM had planned and executed the serial train blasts.
The interrogation of an IM member, Mohammed Saif, by the Delhi Police had revealed Sheikh had played a role in the evening rush-hour strikes on the commuting system.
Saif revealed his elder brother, Shahnawaz, was involved in the blasts along with Sheikh, Abu Sheikh, Aatif Ameen and an associate of his, Mohammed Sajid. Sheikh, the sole alleged conspirator and bomb planter under arrest, was also subsequently interrogated and confirmed Saif’s statement.
Ameen and Sajid were killed in an encounter by the Delhi Police on September 19. Abu Sheikh and Shahnawaz Saif are absconding.
From Sheikh, currently in city police custody, investigators learnt he placed three of the seven pressure-cooker bombs on trains. Sheikh said IM operatives had identified themselves as Pakistanis to the other accused, whom the ATS has charged with involvement in the train blasts.
