 NDTV has learnt that investigating agencies have now got fresh leads in the Mumbai blasts case. Akmal Hashmi - alias Abu Ahmed, a divisional commander of the terror group Al-Badr - was arrested by the anti-terror squad from south Kashmir on August 23. He was then brought to Mumbai where he was being interrogated.
"Mukkerjee, the Number Seven truncheon, please!"
"Yessir!"
"And wax my moustachios!" |
As per information provided by the ATS, during the interrogation, he is understood to have revealed that a group of 17 men were involved in the Mumbai serial blasts on July 11 this year.
"Aaaaiiiieeee! There wuz 15 of 'em!"
"You're sure it wasn't more?"
"Okay, 17, then! Just don't do that again!" |
Hashmi, who is an ex-Hawaldar of the Pakistan Army, is also learnt to have revealed that all 17 men were trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan. However, now 16 of these men have escaped and are back in Pakistan.
"Hi, Mom! I'm home!"
"Back so soon, Mahmoud?" |
Yet, the revelations could prove to be key insights into the planning and execution of the Mumbai serial blasts. Hashmi has also revealed that the whereabouts of the 17th man, Abu Janar, is yet unknown. Coincidentally, of the 186 people who lost their lives in the serial blasts, the body of only one victim has not yet been identified.
| I think we can guess where Abu Janar is. |
The body is currently at the Sion hospital in Mumbai, and sources in the ATS say that this could very well be the body of one of the bombers.
"This body, Dr. Quincy?"
"Yes. He was found hanging from his belt loop on one of the destroyed trains." |
The unclaimed body at Sion hospital was badly damaged in the blast and in an unidentifiable condition, but forensics experts have constructed a mask of his face using reconstruction techniques. However, there are conflicting reports as Jammu and Kashmir police has contradicted the ATS. Jammu and Kashmir police sources suggest that Hashmi's testimony is highly unreliable, since initial interrogations found nothing linking him with the 7/11 attacks.
| Y'gotta use electricians' pliers. Those channel locks just don't have the torque. |
He is to be produced at the Killa Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Sunday. |