Mumbai: Most of the witnesses identified the prime suspects in the August 25 twin blasts in a police parade in Mumbai this week, thereby paving the way for their arrest, even as police sources on October 12 said the money financied for explosions was supplied through hawala from a foreign country.

Prime suspects, Sayed Abdul Hanif, his wife Fahimida, daughter Farheen and associate Arshat Shafi Ahmed Ansari were paraded before the witnesses this week, crime branch sources said adding that most of them had identified the accused involved in the twin blasts.

Their arrest under Prevention of Terrorists Act (POTA) in Gateway of India blast was imminent, the sources told reporters. They are also involved in another blast at Zaveri Bazaar on the same day.

Fifty-three people were killed and over 100 were injured in the explosions.

This is for the first time that identification parade is held before the arrest of the accused. This was being done in the fairness of investigations, police sources said.

Hanif, Fahimida and Arshat would be produced for further remand in the July 28 explosion at Ghatkopar. They have been arrested in this case and also booked under POTA in another case of explosion seizure.

However, daughter of Hanif, Farheen, has been sent to juvenile remand home, as she is a minor.

Police said the accused had links with Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Dubai and received money through hawala from a foreign country for incurring expenditure on creating blasts.

The accused did not open bank accounts, as they were afraid that they would be traced and arrested, police said.

PTI