No links with Pune blasts convict: Yasin

IM Man Bhatkal Busts ATS ‘Evidence’ Against Baig In German Bakery Case

Deeptiman Tiwary/September 15,2013

 

New Delhi: Indian Mujahideen’s (IM) key operative Ahmed Siddibappa alias Yasin Bhatkal has not only denied knowing Himayat Inayat Baig — sentenced to death for the 2010 German Bakery blasts in Pune — but also busted the Maharashtra ATS’s evidence that ensured Baig’s conviction.
    Interestingly though, Yasin has given some credence to two other controversial arrests made by Maharashtra ATS in the 2011 Mumbai blasts. He has claimed to know both Haroon Naik and Naqi Ahmed, arrested by the ATS as financer and planter, respectively, in the case.
    Contrary to claims made by ATS chargesheet in the German Bakery blasts case, Yasin has told interrogators that the bombs used in the strike were assembled in Pune itself and even the timers and bags used carrying them were procured locally. The ATS chargesheet claims the bombs were assembled by Baig at his cyber cafe in Latur and that he traveled all the way to Mumbai’s Musafirkhana market to buy timers and bags to carry them. ATS investigations have also claimed that the bombs were carried by Baig from Latur to Pune on the day of the blasts.
    Yasin, however,has told interrogators that it was he who procured explosives and assembled the bombs. He has said that while he bought bags and timers locally, the explosives were procured with help of IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal. He has said he assembled the bombs in Pune, stuffed them in bags and gave one to his aide Qateel Siddiqui to plant it at Dagdusheth Halwai temple. While Yasin was successful in executing the blasts at German Bakery, Siddiqui failed to plant it at the temple and fled to Mumbai with it. Later dumping explosives in the Arabian Sea, he went to Jhansi where he met Yasin again. Siddiqui was later killed in Pune’s Yerwada jail.
    The NIA is still verifying Yasin’s claims. However, the revelation will come as a relief to Baig who has made a submission in the Bombay HC that his case be reinvestigated by the NIA.
    An officer from the security establishment said, “Baig may be linked to certain elements in the terror world but he is not involved in German Bakery blasts, it appears.”

Himayat Inayat Baig