The Hindu : National : Abul Bashar Qasmi brought to Delhi

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Abul Bashar Qasmi brought to Delhi

Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI: Abul Bashar Qasmi, the alleged mastermind behind the recent Ahmedabad serial blasts and key member of the Indian Mujahideen, was brought here on Wednesday evening for verification of his purported links in the Capital.

Qasmi, who is under the custody of the Ahmedabad police, was taken to the places where he had stayed with his younger brother Abu Zar, who worked as a parking lot attendant in the Walled City area of Delhi, and his other contacts Danish and Aftab, who lived at Zakir Nagar in South Delhi.

During interrogation, Qasmi allegedly disclosed that he had stayed in Delhi from July 24 to 26.

The Delhi police also questioned Qasmi for a couple of hours in connection with the series of five blasts in the Capital as they suspect the involvement of the Indian Mujahideen core group in the attacks. Qasmi was part of this terror outfit. “We are working on some of the facts revealed by him during interrogation. It is a time-taking procedure as a lot of information has to be verified,” said a senior police officer, adding the Ahmedabad police were on the lookout for Qasmi’s brother and his two contacts.

Booked in 2001

The Delhi police are zeroing in on Tauqeer, the alleged SIMI member who is wanted in the Ahmedabad blasts case. Tauqeer was booked by the police here way back in 2001 for allegedly publishing anti-national and inflammatory pamphlets and posters.

The police in September 2001 conducted raids on the headquarters of the Students Islamic Movement of India at Zakir Nagar and claimed to have seized a large number of posters and magazines soon after the government banned the outfit for indulging in anti-national activities.

Safdar Nagori, top SIMI leader, who was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police earlier this year, had then escaped before the police raid.

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