'Four accused in July 11 blasts went to Pakistan'

They had allegedly gone to Pakistan via Iran to learn how to make bombs at a training camp.

Four of the 13 people accused of involvement in the July 11 bombing of commuter trains here had allegedly gone to Pakistan via Iran to learn how to make bombs at a training camp run by Lashker-e-Taiba leader Azeem Cheema.

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This was revealed in the chargesheet filed by the Anti-Terrorism Squad in a special court in Mumbai on Thursday. The ATS said it had ample circumstantial evidence to indicate that the men had travelled to Pakistan.

Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rehman Shaikh, Suhail Mohammed Shaikh and Zameer Ahmed Latifur Rehman Shaikh had allegedly travelled to Pakistan via Iran on a 'jiyarat' visa.

The chargesheet said members of the Shia sect of Islam normally visit Iran on such visas to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of religious leader Imam Raza at Mashad.

In this case, the visas of the four men were not stamped as required at Mashad. This indicated that though they travelled from India to Iran, they did not visit Mashad but instead crossed over to Pakistan from Iran, the chargesheet alleged.

"The non-appearance of stamp/seal on their 'jiyarat' page are conclusive proof of the same," said the chargesheet filed four months after the blasts that killed nearly 200 people.

It had also came to light that the men travelled individually to avoid being caught together, it alleged.