TERRORISM - 2008 - Indian Social Institute

already passed a guilty verdict against our son even before he has been tried by a court of law,"
they said. Their lawyer Solkar said soon after the serial train blasts in Mumbai on July 11, 2006,
Abdus ceased to keep in... (Indian Express 18/9/08)
POTA draconian, we have tougher anti-terror laws: Govt (12)
PM Manmohan Singh at his residence after the cabinet meeting.New Delhi, September 18: Under
flak over recent Terror strikes, Government on Thursday announced several measures to
strengthen intelligence machinery including creation of a wing to analyse new modus operandi
being adopted by terrorists. At the same time, the Government categorically ruled out any move
to bring in an anti-terror law like POTA. "No, No, No. It is a draconian (law) and against human
rights. If the present anti-terror laws are implemented properly, there is no requirement for
additional laws," Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters in Delhi.
"What do you mean by tougher anti-terror laws. Some of our laws are much more strong than
those in the US and UK," he shot back when asked whether the government was planning to
bring in an anti-terror law similar to POTA. (Indian Express 19/9/08)
2 terrorists shot dead in Delhi (12)
NEW DELHI: Two suspected terrorists, including a key Indian Mujahideen functionary who played
a major role in the Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and the recent Delhi serial blasts, were
gunned down in an encounter with the Special Cell of the Delhi police at Batla House in South
Delhi on Friday. Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, a highly decorated officer, who led the
operation, was killed in the encounter. The Special Cell, which was in touch with its Gujarat and
Rajasthan counterparts, received a tip-off that Mohammad Bashir, alias Atiq, of the Indian
Mujahideen involved in the Ahmedabad blasts, had been living with some other suspected
militants in a flat at L-18 Batla House. A team led by Mr. Sharma cordoned off the area on Friday
morning, Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal told a press conference. The operation began around
10.30 a.m. after armed policemen took positions outside the building. Around 11 a.m., another
team went up to the flat on the fourth floor where the suspected militants were hiding. “The police
team was fired upon. In all, eight rounds were fired by the militants and the police fired 22 rounds.
Sharma sustained three bullet injuries and head constable Balwant took one shot in the hand,”
said Mr. Dadwal, adding that two militants managed to flee under fire cover. An AK series assault
rifle and two .30 pistols were found at the spot. A suspected militant, Saif Ahmad, was arrested.
Those killed were identified as Bashir and Mohammad Fakruddin, alias Sajed, both residents of
Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Investigations revealed that Bashir, who had links with another
alleged top Indian Mujahideen member Mohammad Subhan Qureshi, alias Tauqeer, was part of
the core group that executed the Ahmedabad blasts on July 26. He had allegedly configured the
bombs. The police said they had sound evidence to establish that Bashir took 10 men to
Ahmedabad on July 24 and returned to Delhi on July 27 following the blasts. “He brought back a
dozen people with him, two of whom had arranged stolen vehicles that were used in the blasts
there,” said Mr. Dadwal. Back in the Capital, Bashir allegedly started preparing for the blasts and
conducted a reconnaissance of marketplaces to fix the targets. According to the police, Bashir
was an expert in making improvised explosive devices and apparently configured the bombs
planted near Gaffar Market, Connaught Place and M-Block Market of Greater Kailash. He went to
Jaipur on July 13 to trigger blasts there, the police said. Saif is being interrogated to tie up the
loose ends of the conspiracy hatched to trigger the blasts and also to track down the other Indian
Mujahideen militants. Mr. Dadwal said the Batla House operation was carried out solely by the
Special Cell and it had no connection with the presence of Abul Bashar Qasmi, main accused in
the Ahmedabad blasts, in the Capital on Thursday. “In fact, Bashir did not have any link with Abul
Bashar,” said another police officer.(The Hindu 20/9/08)
40 killed in Islamabad blast (12)
ISLAMABAD: A massive blast, possibly caused by an explosives-packed truck, outside the
Pakistan capital’s luxury Marriott hotel on Saturday night killed at least 40 people and wounded
150. Many parts of the hotel caught fire in the minutes after the explosion, with flames rising up
from the building for hours afterwards. The impact of the explosion left a crater about 25 feet
deep and 70 feet wide. The blast destroyed the lower portions of the entire front length of the