CHRONICLES OF THE MUMBAI BLASTS

by

DHRUV.SHAH

Roll no.40

Under the guidance of prof. Steven Lobo

A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for History

Paper IV, semester I at FYBMM

August 2006

SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce,

Sion (west), Mumbai-400 022.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my professor Steven Lobo for the interesting topic given to us to work upon. I
would also like to thank my classmates and my seniors for guiding me through this project.
 Introduction

Though Delhi is the capital of India, Mumbai is the face of India to the world.

So, it is no wonder that Mumbai happens to be a target for any terrorist or communal attack. In
fact, it is the only city in the world to be attacked twice by bombs. It has seen 20 blasts in the past
13 years. The terrorists may have succeeded in grabbing the world attention by bombing the
commercial hub of India, but the brave citizens of Mumbai have once again shown their resilience
under such circumstances. Unfortunately, the bomb attacks have clearly shown how vulnerable
the city of Mumbai is for such inhuman attacks on innocent people and how difficult it is to save
Mumbai from such attacks.
 Week 1 (11th –18th july)

Hindustan Times

12 July:

ACCORDING TO THIS PAPER THIS IS HOW THE DISASTER UNFOLDED:

At 6:15pm the first blast in Bandra just outside the station on a Borivli bound local train.

At 6:23pm the second blast on platform no 3 of the Mahim station.

At 6:24pm the third blast occurred in Khar on the subway to santacruz.

At 6:25pm thefourth blast happened in jogeshwari on a borivli bound train as it waited at the
station.

At 6:30pm the fifth blast took place in Matunga on the Virar bound local as it neared the foot
overbridge.

At 6:31pm the sixth blast was on a Virar bound local between Mira road & Bhayandar.

At 6:35pm the seventh blast on a Virar local as it waited on platform no 4 at Borivli station.

It reported that there were seven bomb blasts that killed 164, and injured 464.

It was reported to be a strike on India’s new economy.

All blasts in first class compartments, means that middle-class professionals were targeted.

The bombs used were either RDX, used in the 1993 blasts or ammonium nitrate , used in
the1995 Oklahoma bombings.

On page 3 sketches of a couple of of suspects were released.

“it’s a terrorist act. We are investigating the blasts from all angles, but it’s too early to say whether
the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is responsible or the explosives were a part of the RDX seizures that we
made in the Marathwada region in may,”said ATS chief joint commissioner of police
K.P.Raghuvanshi.
The Times Of India

12th July:

ACCORDING TO THIS PAPER THIS IS HOW THE DISASTER UNFOLDED:

The 1st blast occurred at 6:24pm in Khar road railway station.

The 2nd blast also occurred at 6:24pm in Bandra railway station.

The 3rd blast occurred a minute later at 6:25pm in Jogeshwari railway station.

The 4th blast occurred a minute after the previous in Jogeshwari at 6:26pm in Mahim.

The 5th blast occurred just a couple of minutes after the first one at 6:26pm in Borivali station.

The 6th blast occurred after a gap of 4 minutes from the previous at 6:30pm in Matunga station.

The 7th blast occurred a minute later at6:31pm in Mira road.

Two of the blast occurred at the station when the trains were at the platform; at Mahim and
Borivali. An estimated 171 people had died and 406 injured all the blast took place in first class.
On the second page it’s repotted that first blast at Matunga happened at 6:15pm.

No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

There are strong indications that the terror strikes on Mumbai’s train on tuesday were carried out
by Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba and SIMI.

The rains at Matunga and Mahim washed away most of the evidence which is crucial for any
bomb blast investigation.

DNA

12TH July:

This paper reported that seven explosion ripped through the first class compartments of suburban
trains on the Western Railway on Tuesday evening killing more than 150 people and injuring at
least 400.

The blast occurred within a span of 11 minutes from 6.24 pm to 6.34 pm.

The first blast at Khar station at 6.24 pm, killing 25 and injuring 55 people.

The second blast at Bandra station at 6.24 pm, killing 23 and injuring 63 people.
The third blast at Jogeshwari station at 6.25 pm, killing 6 and injuring 20 people.

The fourth blast at Mahim station at 6.26 pm, killing 7 and injuring 15 people.

The fifth blast took place at Mira road station at 6.29 pm, killing 20 and injuring 50 people.

The sixth blast at Matunga station at 6.30 pm, killing 65 and injuring 70 people.

The seventh blast at Borivali station at 6.35 pm, killing 16 and injuring 40 people.

The police and intelligence agencies suspect a module of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba for carrying out
the attack.

Indian Express

12th July:

7 blasts hit Mumbai local train at rush hour 161 feared killed 591 injured

The blast occurred at Mahim, Bandra, Matunga, Borivali, Mira Road, Jogeshwari and Khar.

No terrorist group had claimed responsibility for the blast.

First blast occurred on a train between Khar and Santa Cruz station, another at exactly the same
time on a train near Bandra these were followed by explosions on trains at Jogeshwari, Mahim,
Mira Road, Matunga, Borivali and Mahim station.

The explosives used to trigger the Mumbai blasts were part of a large consignment from
Bangladesh which landed at Kolkata .according to intelligence agencies some of this explosives
were seized by Anti-Terrorist Squad 2 months ago in Aurangabad.

Hindustan Times

13th July:

4 eyewitnesses come up to the police. Based on the accounts provided by three of the
eyewitnesses the ATS has gathered that two men wearing pathani suits boarded two different
locals at Churchgate at around 6pm.They both alighted at Mumbai central, perhaps leaving small
briefcases on the luggage racks.

The ATS raided sites in Mumbra, Jogeshwari, Behrampada and Nagpada to check on known
SIMI activists.

DGP Dr. P.S.Pasricha pointed that the police had prior information about the blast. But did not
admit to the fact that it was an intelligence failure on the part of the police.
The ATS meanwhile visited Aslam Pathan in the Aurangabad jail, as they suspect he had prior
information on the blasts.

The Maharashtra Government announced a reward Rs 25 lacs for leads in the blasts.

The Times Of India

13th July:

A deadly combination of TNT and nitro chloride were used to open up a solid iron train. A senior
officer told that the condition of the coaches pointed towards use of RDX that were blown up with
the help of remote control. An investigating officer told this paper that all the timers could have
been set to 6:30 but the bombs went off in minutes before and after because of plus or minus
error of five to ten minutes implying use of crude timer. Pencil timers could also have been used.

A pin pointing evidence is yet to be discovered by the investigating agency towards lashkar-e-
taiba either with local recruit like SIMI and/or in collaboration with its terror twin organisation
Jaishe-e-Mohammed. In Maharashtra the logistic help may have been provided by Ahl-e-Hadis.
The Dawood Ibrahim factor is also not been ruled out.

DNA

13TH July:

Intelligence agencies have traced two calls made just minutes after the seven blasts. A source
said that the calls were made from fixed line telephones,probably PCO’s, which have now been
put under surveillance.

Security agencies said that the calls indicate the involvement of a foreign hand. Intelligence
agencies and the state Anti-Terrorist Squad(ATS) have identified two Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives
as suspects behind the serial blasts.The LeT and Hizbollah are the prime suspects despite their
denials. The banned Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI) is suspected of having provided
the local information and support.

The two identified persons are Zabihuddin Ansari and Mohammed Faiyaz.

The Mumbai Police have claimed that gelatin sticks fitted with timers were used in blast.

A Crime branch officer ruled out the use of RDX.

Indian Express

13th July:

Large amount of RDX was captured in Aurangabad, it is a part of the same RDX used in Mumbai.
Whether the timer device were used in the blasts or not has not yet been identified.

The police released the sketches prepared of the 3 suspects from descriptions given to them by
resident of Ghatkopar.

The Police officials recovered rods and pencil detonators at the site of the blasts.

Hindustan Times

14th July:

This newspaper had a conversation with Investigators in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. The
masterminds behind the blasts were identified as-Rahil, Zahibuddin Ansari and Faiyaz Kagzi. All
three belong to the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Rahil had made an abortive bid to bomb the Byculla station
on March11,2006.

According to Police Commissioner A.N.Roy the trio were aided by terrorist elements in Pakistan
and Bangladesh. According to ATS Chief K.P.Raghuvanshi, Zahibuddin and Faiyaz brought the
RDX from Pakistan.

Police say that the blasts were in retaliation for the Gujarat riots in 2002.The Police have also
closed in on some phone numbers ,which could help them close in on the suspects. Intelligence
agencies believe that some of the men were from Kashmir ,the others from Bangladesh.All of
them belonged to the LeT groups while the SIMI might have arranged their stay.

The Times Of India

14th July:

This newspaper reported that there were calls tapped by the investigating agency and one was
from Karachi to Dhaka said: “Mubarakan Mubarakan”. A call from a PCO near Juhu in was made
to an anxious “mother” in Karachi. The caller assured his mother he was alright (salamat) but
could not disclose his location and saying that he could not talk for length, hung up. And all of this
happened soon after the blast. Communication as the main key of such an operation to be carried
out there were bound to be some tell-tale evidence-use of codes for bomb-the persons must have
used.

A PCO owner went to police saying that a man had made calls from his PCO- to Karachi, to
Dubai and Aurangabad. Calls were made from Borivali and Malad to Afghanistan and Pakistan
minutes after the blast serial blast. A call was made from Bhayandar to Karachi.

Indicating involvement of foreign hands in Mumbai blast. Mahim police got hold of some vital clue
which could help the ATS. The link and involvement of lashkar-e-taiba and SIMI are not yet ruled
out.
DNA

14th July:

Phone calls to Afghanistan and Pakistan hint at involvement of LeT, which is working with groups
of banned outfit SIMI.

The blasts were linked to recent hauls of arms and explosives from Aurangabad, Nashik, Nagpur,
and other parts of state.

Over 350 persons, mostly members of SIMI have been detained by police for questioning.

Raids were conducted in several hotels and suspected hideouts of SIMI activists by the
police.Sketches of four suspects was released.

According to a police inspector, while scanning the tracks from the station near Bandra, their
team found an electronic circuit that could be a have been a component of bomb that exploded in
the trains. It was probably the detonator that helped in the explosion of the bombs.

Hindustan Times

15th July:

The ATS will question a 21year old girl who claims to have seen the blast suspects, Zahibuddin
Ansari and Faiyaz Kagzi. She said she saw the suspects at Jogeshwari station two days after the
blasts. The girl saw the suspects when she was waiting to board a local train to go to college.
Police commissioner A.N.Roy explained that hundreds of people had been calling the police with
descriptions. Later in the day, an ATS official called the girl.

Meanwhile Ambujawadi residents were picked up for questioning by the police. Around 200
residents of this area were dragged from their shanties at around 2:30am for questioning. Though
all the detained were eventually released by 7:30 am.

Massive operations were carried out in Uttar Pradesh to find the face behind the 11/7 blasts. SIMI
cadres in Kanpur were being questioned. A raid was also carried out to trace another SIMI
member, Mohammed Ashfaq involved in the Kanpur riots. Ashfaq had fled to Dubai. After five
years in Dubai, Ashfaq returned to Kanpur about 2 months back.

The Times Of India

15TH July:

Amir Shaikh and Akif Shaikh,another two suspects, both residents of Aurangabad will be
subjected to brain mapping and nacro analysis. They were taken into custody in the Ahmedabad.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad(ATS) on Friday picked up 23 persons, accused in the 1993 serial
blasts, and interrogated them as part of the probe into 11th serial blasts. At least three others,
accused in the first Ghatkopar blast, were also called to police stations and questioned in
Aurangabad and Parbhani districts. Statements of others, who were earlier detained for several
days for their suspected involvement but not arrestedwas recorded, an ATS officer said.

Police sources said that about 400 officers and men were involved in the massive hunt to find
those behind the serial bombs that struck commuter trains and stations, killing 179 people. The
police were trying to find leads in several calls made to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh
from public booths, not much headway has been made, the sources said.

DNA

15TH July:

According to this newspaper 13 men and 1 woman planted the bombs that ripped through the
seven trains on the 11th of July. According to sources the materials used for this bomb may have
been RDX. Electronic timers and other explosives have been recovered from blast site in Khar.
According to the police they planted the bombs after boarding the trains at Churhgate station and
got down at Dadar and Mumbai Central.

Police believe that the plans for the blast was decided in 2003 after the arrest of the accused in
Ghatkopar, Zaveri bazaar and Gateway blast.

Two days before the blast a member of Taliban was held at Delhi airport. A Strong suspicion of
the Al-Qaeda link was found. Around 60 to 70 phone calls were made from Mumbai to a location
in the gulf, Pakistan and Bangladesh just minutes after the blast.

Indian Express

15th July:

Mumbai police and Special Task Force (STF) conducted raids in Kanpur to discover the possible
links of SIMI with the series of blasts on 7th august in Mumbai

They also interrogated the state chief of SIMI Mohammad Amir who is at the moment lodged in
the Kanpur jail.

Mumbai based activists of the banned organization are reported to have a wide spread base in
Uttar Pradesh and are also suspected to be involved in the 7 blasts that rocked Mumbai.

Hindustan Times

16th July:
As printed by this paper,the Lashkar-e-Qahar, a front outfit of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, sent an e-mail
to a news channel on the 15th owning responsibility for the blasts. The e-mail was sent using a
pseudonym Jack Smith and claimed 16 of it’s operatives were involved in the blasts.

Meanwhile the police picked up around 300 persons from Mahim’s Nayanagar slums on the 15th
for questioning. Most of them were later freed.

The Vasai taluka police have detained another 50 persons for questoning.

A total of 625 people have been detained so far after the blasts.

An ATS team left for Tripura to interrogate the 11 arrested Tabligh-I-Jamat members, who are
from Thane. They were caught while trying to crossover to Bangladesh. The ATS detained 3 more
including one from Beed.

The Times Of India

16th July:

Six days after 11/7 and the state forensic lab has not yet come to a decision on the nature of the
explosive used. Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) is still doing a range of tests to
determine the nature of the explosive used in blasts. The ATS has sent the samples to the Bomb
Data Centre at New Delhi, which is considered the highest authority. If RDX is confirmed then it
will be believed that a bigger terrorist outfit is involved in the blast.

Mudassir alias Raju,who belongs to the Lashkar-e-Taiba is the most important catch of security
agencies in J&K and is to be questioned by the Anti-Terrorists Squad of Maharashtra Police in
connection with the outfit's suspected role in the Mumbai serial blasts. Lashkar-e-Qahhar, which
says it has links with the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), on Saturday claimed responsibility
for the 11/7 serial blasts that ripped through Mumbai’s local trains killing over 200 people.
The Lashkar-e-Qahhar in an e-mail to a news channel stated that it had organised the blasts with
its module of 16 people and not 14 as was being reported. It also claimed that all 16 people
involved in the blasts were safe. The blasts, according to the e-mail, were in retaliation to the
ground situation in Gujarat and Kashmir and was part of a series of blasts that it had planned on
targets that include Mumbai’s international airport, Gateway of India, Taj Mahal and Red Fort,
among others. According to reports, intelligence agencies are trying to track the mail and the
server from which it has been sent.

DNA

16th July:

Calls made around the time of the blast were traced to Bangladesh.

It was through Bangladesh that one of the suspects, Ansari, went to Pakistan.
The Indian government has a list of 15 training centers directly under the command of the Al-
Qaeda in Bangladesh.

14 persons connected with the banned outfit SIMI, have been detained for interrogation by the
Ahmedabad police’s Anti Terrorist Squad.

Indian Express

16th July:

Investigations reveal and suspect that a single unit of terrorists could have planted all the bombs
at Churchgate itself and had 27 minutes to escape. The target was the fourth coach of all seven
trains.

The fourth coach is the nearest to the subway passage which is totally unguarded, indicating that
the bombers might have taken the low risk route to planting the bombs hence the attackers could
have left the trains much before the blasts actually happened.

300 persons were detained in Mahim and another 200 detained in Malabari, near Malad by police
officials..

Hindustan Times

17th July:

6 days after the blasts the identities and number of bombers involved is still not certain.

Sketches of the suspects are not yat released by the police officials.

Combing operations conducted in over 6 states has not yielded much.

The Times Of India

17th July:

Security was tightened after all western railway stations got hoax calls. Checknaka’s were set up
by the Police to check vehicles at all entry and exit points to Mumbai.

The police conducted raids at many industrial explosive dealers to determine the source of 7/11
blasts.

DNA

17TH July:
Police draws up a list of 10 suspects and sketches are prepared to help further interrogation.

The Mumbai Police approach the Bomb Data Centre seeking help and also approached the NSG
in Delhi.

A lot of Confusion was created on the announcement of the forensic report. the explosive used
might have been ammonium nitrate and not RDX, as thought earlier.

Hindustan Times

18TH July:

The Police conformed that RDX was used for the Tuesday bomb blast. But it was rarely used
combination. RDX formed the core of the bomb, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil wer added to
maximize the impact. Pune police started searched for a Solapur based suspect linked to the
blast. M.D. Shaikh an accused in 2003 Solapur riots. Shaikh had gone to Mumbai for his
daughters admission. Police believed that 4 people in the blast are residents of Pune 1 of the
suspects was identified as Faiyyaz. The ATS said that the email allegedly sent by Lakshar-e-
Qahar, an alleged arm of the banned LeT owning responsibility of the blast was probably a prank.
At Agartala ATS began interrogating 2 youths suspected to be linked to the blasts. Wajid Fakir
Mohammed Sangnesari alias Pervez Sheikh a software engineer and Mohammed Wajid Sheikh a
mechanical engineering dropout are among the 11 Islamics preachers detained by the Tripura
police last week for interrogation. The Mumbai police suspects that the group maybe linked
to LeT though they are formally attached to a socio-religious NGO called Tabligh-e-Jamaat.

The Times Of India

18 July:

11 persons have been interrogated and detained from a village on the Indo-Bangladesh border in
Tripura. Two leaders of the gang Mohammed Sheikh and Mohammed Wajid were questioned by
the police. The duo denied that they were involved in the Mumbai blast and have anything to do
with terrorism. They denied links with the SIMI. The youths claim that they are the members of
Tabligh-i-Jamaat, a NGO. The ATS officials found out about the past and present status of the
group. Sources say that the ATS officials have not found out any hardcore evidence against the
youths.

DNA

18TH July:

The ATS teams are sent off across the country in search of the suspects.

The team of ATS includes 290 personnel, including 40 officers divided in teams and search
parties.
The forensic report suggests that the explosive used is RDX i;e combination of RDX, ammonium
nitrate & fuel oil.

Indian Express

18 July:

The Lashkar-e-kahar claimed responsibility for the blasts & was planning more attacks against
government in Delhi with the major targets being atomic centres and historic sites in the country.

Week 2 (19th to 25th July)

Hindustan Times

19th July:

Nationwide hunt launched to track down the 11Pakistani nationals Who went missing after
entering the country in march 2005 most probably during during the watch of the Indo-Pak Test
match at Mohali. Two of them suspected to have been involved in the Tuesday blast and 11 are
suspected to have been involved. According to the Mumbai police sources of some Malvani
residents detained and Questioned After the explosion confirm the presence of two strangers in
this area and said they had been been in a bungalow owned by a politician.The two strangers are
allegedly spotted in the company

of Fayyaz Kagzi, one of the key suspects in the case, both in Malwani and residents at Antop Hills
a day before the blasts. ATS clear that there is cross border connection.

The Times Of India

19th July:

Militant group Lashkar-e-kahar claimed responsibility for the blasts & was planning more attacks
against government installations & historic sites in the country.

DNA

19TH July:

The investigations widen to areas in the Konkan where 3 are held.

Punjab terrorists are grilled on possible links.

The ATS seeks help from Israel in the tracking of the bombers.

After some Investigation and tnterrogations there are signs of a Bhiwandi connection.
The terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Qahar warns more blasts in Delhi.

Hindustan Times

20th July:

The suspected outfits are ISI backed LeT and the banned outfit SIMI and the Lashkar-e-Kahar,
also mentioned are Dawood Ibrahim and Al-Qaeda.

Terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are now a suspected group for its role in the July 11
blasts.

JeM came into the picture after an email admittedly by Lashkar-e-Qahar was sent to a news
channel on Monday.

The Times Of India

20th July:

It is conformed that RDXwas used along with ammonium nitrate and fuel oil.

According to the Police the number of people involved in the blasts is exactly 14 but several other
figures are shown and one of them is 40

DNA

20TH July:

A Human head is found near the Matunga Road railway station on July 11th and taken to Sion
hospital. The body remains unclaimed. Person might have had a role in the blasts.

The police have sent the body for DNA mapping.

Indian Express

20th July:

The police detained people who had SIMI links but had nothing to do with blasts.

3 of the 11 muslims associated with the blasts in Mumbai claimed to be members of SIMI but had
not taken an active part in the blasts.

The Times of India

22nd July:
3 persons were arrested from Bihar. They have admitted their presence in Mumbai a week prior
to the blast and confessing they had gone to Pakistan for arms training officials arrested Kamal
Ahmed Ansari the leader of the SIMI who was found missing from a Madhubani village for a week
before the serial blasts. Mumtaz Chaudhri was arrested. Officials still not sure whether they
planted the bombs or manufacture them. About 500 grams of black substance is recovered from
them, which could turn out to be RDX. Meanwhile, Mohammad Akram was detained from Gaya
because of his apparent similarity with one of the sketches. But Akram has denied all the claims
on him.

DNA

22ND JULY:

The ATS claims to have made a breakthrough and arrest three persons as suspects.

Intelligence reports points out to various targets of LeT.

1.5 kg of black powdery substance was recovered from one of the suspects (possibly
gunpowder).

One of the arrested, Kamal Ansari, admits to having links with the LeT.

The other two are Mumtaz Ahmed Chaudary and Khaleel Aziz Shaikh.

Ansari and Sheikh were arrested from Madhubani, Bihar.

And Mumtaz was arrested from Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai.

Indian Express

22nd July:

Security forces claim that the Mumbai train blasts have been planned in such a way that is similar
to the LeT way of operation. The group however strongly denies the accusation.

The Times Of India

24th July:

Over hundred policemen from the state have spread across the country as a part of the probe.

The 2 bihar arrests have come after the interrogation of Pakistani nationals arrested in
Khatmandu.

DNA
24TH July:

the blast accused had a voter id card.

The card was issued in January 1995 as recovered during Mumtaz Chaudahary’s arrest.

Name is different from the name in passport.

Indian Express

24th July:

Security forces claim that the Mumbai train blasts have the fingerprints of the LeT. The group
however vehemently denies the accusation.

Week 3 (26th to 31st July)

Hindustan Times

26th July:

The ATS made a breakthrough in the 11/7 serial blasts case wuth the arrest of a Byculla based
Unani doctor Tanvir Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari.

Ansari is the fourth man to be arrested in the case. Unlike the other three Ansari has been
charged with being a conspirator. The ATS has alleged that Ansari is a middle level Lashkar-e-
toiba operative who was heading a sleeper cell in the city.

A team of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch Unit II ,led by senior police inspector J.K.Hargude
picked Ansari for questioning. An examination of Ansari’s cell phone records has revealed that he
was in constant touch with persons in Nepal and Bangladesh.

The other persons arrested in relation to the case are Kamal Ansari abd Khaled Sheikh, both
residents of Bihar and Mumtaz Choudhary, a resident of Navi Mumbai.

The Times Of India

26th July:

The ATS arrested two members of the SIMI Zameer Shaikh and Sohail Shaikh.The two are likely
to be charged with criminal conspiracy. According to the paper the police believe that the two men
were in direct contact with the LeT “Commander in chief”.

Muzzamil Shaikh another one of the suspect detained was transferred from the crime branch unit
II office to another location. Officers told this paper that both Zameer and Sohail had provided
some”important” information about the LeT terror camp commander and training-in-charge Azam
Chima.

DNA

26TH July:

The ATS busts the Lashkar module.

Crime Branch of the City Police has detained two other suspected members of Sohail Sheikh’s
module for catching the third member.

Indian Express

26th July:

The ATS made a breakthrough in the 11/7 serial blasts case with the arrest of a Byculla based
Unani doctor Tanvir Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari.

Ansari is the fourth man to be arrested in the case. Unlike the other three Ansari has been
charged with being a conspirator. The ATS has alleged that Ansari is a middle level Lashkar-e-
toiba operative who was heading a sleeper cell in the city.

A team of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch Unit II ,led by senior police inspector J.K.Hargude
picked Ansari for questioning. An examination of Ansari’s cell phone records has revealed that he
was in constant touch with persons in Nepal and Bangladesh.

The other persons arrested in relation to the case are Kamal Ansari abd Khaled Sheikh, both
residents of Bihar and Mumtaz Choudhary, a resident of Navi Mumbai.

Hindustan Times
27th July:
The interrogation with the Byculla based doctor Tanvir Ansari has revealed that the Lashkar-e-
Toiba module in Mumbai is controlled by top LeT commander Raheel Abdul Sheikh ,the allege
mastermind behind the 11/7 blasts.

The crime discovered that Raheel has close links with the city’s LeT module after they picked up
three members Zameer Sheikh , Sohail Sheikh ,and Ansari.

Raheel is a member of the ultra conservative sect Ahl-e-Hadis.

Raheel joined the SIMI before it’s 1999 convention in Aurangabad where the outfit revealed it’s
intentions towards terror groups.

The Times Of India

27th July:

Azim chima emerged as a common link between many arrests. Chima gives training on how to
operate rocket launchers.

Software engineer Muzzamil Shaikh & brother faisal , are likely to be arrested.

DNA

27th July:

2 more LeT sleeper cells identified by the ATS.

It was found when Sohail Shaikh and Jameel Shaikh were arrested.

Hindustan Times

29th July:

This paper reported that the ATS arrested Faisal Sheikh , the head of the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s
operations in western India, and his brother Muzzamil, who is based in Bangalore for their role in
the 11/7 blasts.

The police said that Faisal was “directly in charge” of the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s Mumbai Module.

According to the police both Faisal and Muzzamil were trained in Lashkar’s Bahawalpur base in
Pakistan .

On page 5 of this issue the paper repoted that the Mumbai Crime branch had detained another
suspect in Pune.

Feroz Bengali, an alleged SIMI activist was picked up from Meethanagar. The paper ran the
criminal history of Feroz saying that he had nine serious cases against him,which include murder,
extortion and illegal arms possession. according to police officials Feroz might have provided
support to those involved in the blasts.

The Times Of India

29th July:
This newspaper reported that the ATS had arrested Ehtesham Siddiqui, a publisher of religious
texts, under the Unlawful Activities prevention Act. However the officials have hinted that Siddiqui
might not have anything to do with the blasts.Siddiqui was booked under sections 10 and 13 of
the UAPA for being a member an unlawful associationand being involved in unlawful activities.
The police claimed to have seized “Jehadi literature” fro his residence.Along with a close eye in
the SIMI the investigating agencies are trying to find out why the banned called a
Ijtema(congregation) before the terror attacks only to scrap it later.

DNA

29TH July:

Police close in on more Lashkar sleeper cells.

Interrogation of Faizal Sheikh, Kamal Ansari and Tanveer Ansari has revealed fresh information
about sleeper cells.

3 terror suspects appear to belong to the same module.

Investigators are trying to ascertain details about sleeper terror modules, “compartmental”
structure and functioning.

A couple of sleeper modules became active ahead of 11/7 under instruction from a section of
Lashkar’s Pakistan and POK based command.

Hindustan Times

31st July:

The paper reported that two operatives of the LeT will be interrogated in Delhi police’s custody.
Feroz Latif Ghaswala, a resident of Mahim is alleged to be a member of the LeT Mumbai module.
He had returned from Bahawalpur in Pakistan just three months back, according to police
officials.

The other nabbed is Mohammed Ali Chippa, a resident of Gujarat. “The interrogations of the two
is crucial in the nabbing of the actual bombers,said a police official to this newspaper.

The Times Of India

31st July:

Interrogators told this paper that Faisal Shaikh sent Fayyaz Kagzi and Zabihuddin to Pakistan for
training. Kagzi and Ansari along with Rahil Shaikh are absconding accused in the ares haul case.
As reported by this paper the interrogations of over 30 detainees have revealed that Faisal sent
ansari and Kagzi to Pakistan via Iran for training.

Jammu and Kashmir resident Mujaheed Geelani who surrendered to the Pune police on the 27th
of this month is likely to be arrested in the blast case soon,said a ATS officer.

DNA

31ST July:

not even a single story was covered.

Conclusion

The serial bomb blasts that shook Mumbai on the 11th of July has clearly shown that no place is
safe from terrorist attack. Subsequent developments might indicate that the incident was a failure
on the part of the Intelligence. The recent haul of RDX at Aurangabad should have alerted the
Police authorities. But unfortunately the Police authorities did not act swiftly on the lead they
might have obtained from there. Even then security for a transport system like the Mumbai local
trains which transports 70 lacs commuters per day on an average, is just not possible.

The press which covered the blasts have not been accurate and consistent. The death toll, the
number of injured have been reported differently in different newspapers. The arrest of suspects
subsequent to the blasts has also been reported inaccurately.

The bomb blasts have shown one thing very clearly i;e Mumbai is a easy target for terrorist
attacks. How the Government both at the state and central level and also the citizens of Mumbai
face upto these challenges in the days to come will be very crucial to the future of Mumbai city.