The Mumbai Police on Monday obtained a production warrant from a local court to get the custody of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Jindal (31) alias Sayyed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Jabi Ansari alias Abu Hamza, who was arrested in Delhi on Monday. He is suspected to have played a key role in the November 26, 2008 terror attacks here.
“We will ask for his custody after the Delhi Police exhaust his custody on July 5,” a senior officer of the Mumbai Police said.
Ujjwal Nikam, Public Prosecutor for the 26/11 case, told The Hindu that the court was informed that Ansari was a member of the inner circle of the LeT and that his interrogation was critical to the case.
“The 10 men who attacked Mumbai left Karachi in Al Hussaini (boat), after which they hijacked the Indian shipping boat, Kuber. Kasab had said in his confession that Abu Hamza was one of the four persons who had come to see them off on Al Hussaini,” Mr. Nikam said.
“Also, Abu Hamza was the person with whom the terrorists were talking to on the phone, when they attacked Nariman House. He is the one who trained them to talk in Hindi and what they should talk to the media to make India believe that the attack was carried out by Indian Muslims. We have his voice sample with us,” he said.
Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy told reporters that Abu Hamza was also involved in the Aurangabad arms haul case of 2006, after which he was declared as absconding.
“There would be a separate trial for him once it is ascertained that he is the same person. He is originally from Gevrai taluka in Beed district. He is wanted in the Aurangabad arms haul case,” he said.
In May 2006, a cache of explosives was found in a car (MHA4 4380). It contained 10 AK 47s, 2,000 live cartridges and 10 packages of 40 rounds. Subsequently, another car (MH 20 U 1240) was intercepted and 13 kg of RDX, six AK 47s, 22 live rounds and 1200 cartridges were recovered.
Abu Hamza allegedly gave training to the 10 terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks.
