Hyderabad: In a major breakthrough, all the 15 people involved in recent bomb blasts in churches in the southern states were identified and four of them arrested, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced on Monday.

Some of the 15 had reportedly received arms training in Pakistan.

The arrested included Nizamuddin and Syed Iqbal, secretary of the Deendar Anjuman of Vijayawada, he told newsmen. Eleven others were also identified as belonging to the Deendar Anjuman, a small sect of the Muslim community.

Naidu announced that a special court would be set up here to try the bomb blast cases in the state.

The interrogation of Iqbal revealed that in the last few years, several members of the Anjuman went to Pakistan and were given training in militant activities in training camps there, he said.

The breakthrough was achieved after a thorough investigation by the police of Karnataka, Goa and Andhra Pradesh after the explosion in a Maruthi van in Bangalore.

Naidu said Nizamuddin and Iqbal were arrested during checking by police at Nallajarla near Eluru in West Godavari district early on Monday. A search of a scooter led to the seizure of gelatin sticks, torch cells, detonators and parts of a clock. On interrogation of the two, it was revealed that they were involved in the recent bomb blasts in places of worship in the state since May 21.

Anjuman was founded by Hazrath Maulana Siddiqui.

At a secret meeting of the Deendar Anjuman in November last in Asif Nagar here, which was attended by Hassan and Iqbal, the leader of the sect had said that the time had come to wage a ‘jihad’ and exhorted his followers to spread hatred among various religious groups in India.

Accordingly, explosive materials were secured and were converted into improvised explosive devices with timers.

Naidu said the two others who were arrested were Syed Noor Ahammed and Mohd Nazamuddin (both Vijayawada) who had planted the bomb at a church in Tadepalligudem on June 8.

The 11 had planted the bombs at places of worship including a temple and a mosque and religious congregations at Ongole, Machilipatnam, Medak, Vikarabad, Guntur (all In Andhra Pradesh), Wadi, Hubli and Bangalore in Karnataka and in Goa.

One of them had died in the Maruti van bomb blast in Bangalore a few days ago.

UNI

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