World | India
Mumbai court remands 20 accused in custody
The police have booked 20 alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives arrested over the fortnight under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
- By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent
- Published: 23:26 October 7, 2008
Mumbai: The police have booked 20 alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives arrested over the fortnight under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
The 20 alleged terrorists, some of whom are believed to have played active roles in terror attacks in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Surat and New Delhi, were remanded to police custody until October 21 by a local court on Tuesday.
"As per intelligence reports, there is reasonable presumption to suspect that the blasts in the city of Mumbai were to be carried out during the ongoing Navratri festival," sources in Mumbai Police said.
Plans disrupted
Police believe the arrests and the seizure of weapons, radio and wi-fi signal detectors, bullet proof jackets and laptops, have disrupted the terrorists' plans.
The Mumbai Police, particularly the Crime Branch, co-ordinated with the Anti-Terrorist Squad, several central agencies and police organisations in different states to track down the terrorists over a period of two months.
Several citizens, particularly Muslims, played a significant role in helping nab the suspects, said joint police commissioner, crime, Rakesh Maria, at a press conference on Monday.
Three of the accused from Pune who were arrested on September 28 are alleged to be part of the "media cell" of the IM and responsible for sending terror emails by accessing unsecured Wi-Fi networks in the city - from Navi Mumbai, Khalsa College in Wadala and an office in Chembur.
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