Hyderabad: Eight persons allegedly having links with militant organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), and plotting to blast a Ganesh temple at Secunderabad railway station and attacking Americans and Jews with an intention to disturb peace were arrested today (Aug 29, 2004).

Naseeruddin, President of Tahreek Tahfuz Sher Islam (TTSI), who was among the arrested has been working clandestinely on behalf of LeT leader Abdul Bari alias Abdul Hamaza, a resident of Hyderabad city and presently operating from Saudi Arabia, City Police Commissioner R P Singh told reporters in Hyderabad.

The police are looking out for another seven persons including an explosive expert and brain behind the conspiracy, he said.

Those arrested were close associates of Gulam Yazdani alias Naveed alias Abu Bhai, a Pakistan trained LeT militant who is now absconding, he said.

The arrested group, who procured explosive materials, had plans to foment communal disturbance in the State capital during Ganesh festival next month, Singh added.

One group led by Ahmed Mohiuddin Raashid, a native of Bhongir in Nalgonda district hatched a plan to explode Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in five kg gas cylinder with remote control near Ganesh temple at Secunderabad railway station during the forthcoming Ganesh festival, the Commissioner said.

Another group of three apprehended were working out a plan of attacking Americans, Jews and their interests in Andhra Pradesh in liaison with Abdul Qadeer and Raashid, he said.

Qadeer was assigned the task of attacking Americans at the Begumpet Airport and also to recce about the Jews families in the Guntur town in the State, Singh said.

During raids conducted at four places, police seized explosive materials, including three bundles of safety fuse wire, two bundles of detonators lead wires, ammonium nitrate which can be used for making bombs, liquid carbon tetra chloride and soldering iron with wire and paste, the Commissioner added.