
The special TADA court trying the 1993 Mumbai blasts case pronounced accused No 23 Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh and accused No 49 Nasim Ashraf Barmare, guilty of attack on the Sahar Airport with the intention of killing people and damaging aircraft, on Monday. The hand grenades lobbed, however, did not explode.
Special Judge PD Kode held Barmare guilty for going to Pakistan for training in arms, ammunition and use of explosives, besides lobbing grenades into the airport while riding pillion on a motorcycle.
Iqbal, who drove the bike owned by co-accused Ayub Memon, was found guilty for training in arms, ammunition and use of explosives at Bhorghat and Sandheri in Raigad district. He was also found guilty of parking an RDX-laden scooter at Naigaum in Dadar. Both face a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
They were also found guilty of attending meetings at the Al-Husseini building, where the blasts were plotted along with co-conspirators Mahim Nazir Shaikh and Mubina.
Judge Kode said evidence given by one witness against him and Barmare had been accepted for the Sahar incident and the evidence of two witnesses against him had been accepted for parking the RDX-laden scooter at Naigaum Cross Road. Their confessions had been corroborated with the evidence provided by the witnesses.
Barmare had some trouble understanding the charges under which he was held guilty. After pronouncing the verdict, Judge Kode asked defence advocate to brief Barmare on why he was found guilty.