Main Masterminds Of Coimbatore Blast Arrested
In a major success in unwinding the terror network in the country, a top militant linked with the Indian Mujahideen was nabbed by the Kerala Police team in the national capital on Friday. The arrested militant, who was identified as Hamid, is also believed to be one of the main masterminds of the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts and was on the most wanted list of Kerala Police since long. Hamid is said to be the south zone commander of Indian Mujahideen and is believed to be an expert in making explosive devices and timer bombs. The intelligence inputs gathered about him also suggests that he is connection with dreaded militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba. Hamid has been taken for interrogation by the Kerala Police. According to reports, the intelligence officials will also try to establish his role in the recent bomb blasts in several cities. He is expected to reveal crucial information regarding Indian Mujahideen’s future activities and its main operatives in various cities.
The arrest is being hailed as a big achievement of the country’s intelligence agencies since Hamid was on the run for several years. The Kerala Police team picked up Hamid from Yamuna Vihar locality in New Delhi following a tip off from the intelligence agencies about his possible hideout. The Kerala Police laid a trap to nab him, after it was confirmed that Hamid was living in disguise for several years in the area. At least 33 people -- including eight women and one child –were killed and 153 others were injured in a series of 12 bomb blasts that took place in Coimbatore on Feb 14 in 1998. The blast occurred shortly before Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani arrived for a campaign meeting.
