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Journalism of Courage
Over three weeks after three suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) members were nabbed here, the Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested two men carrying two revolvers and 950 gms of a high-grade explosive powder at the city’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 4.45 a.m.
Mushiruddin Siddiqui (37) and Mansoor Ansari (24)—residents, respectively, of Virar in Maharashtra and Birgunj in Nepal—also had maps of Maharashtra, Mumbai and Manali. “Their targets could not be ascertained as the maps were unmarked,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (ATS) K P Raghuvanshi.
Tests on the powder, which is to be sent for identification to the Kalina Forensic Laboratory, caused an explosion effective within six feet, he said.
Three days ago, the ATS received information that explosives would be brought from Nepal into Mumbai. The two, who allegedly boarded the Kushinagar Express from Gorakhpur in UP on January 28, alighted in Kanpur, from where they procured the explosives, Raghuvanshi added.
“Though he has no criminal record, Siddiqui was questioned regarding the 2003 Mumbai blast,” said Additional Commissioner of Police Jai Jeet Singh. ATS officials also said that Siddiqui had admitted to receiving terrorist training in Pakistan for two years.
Earlier this month…..
On Jan 6, the ATS arrested suspected LeT members Khursheed Ahmad Lone, Haji Mohammad Ramzan and Arshad Badroo in Nagpada with 20 detonators, five electric circuits and five remote-controlled timer devices. On Jan 14, the ATS arrested the imam of Haj House, Maulana Ghulam Yahya Ilahi, for allegedly sheltering the trio. The ATS, however, says it is too early to say whether these arrests are connected with those made today.
