Indian police arrest 2 in German Bakery blast case

Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad ( ATS) arrested two persons from Marathawada region of Maharashtra, western India, in connection with Pune's German Bakery blast in February, said police on Wednesday.

One of the accused was arrested from Aurangabad and has been identified as Himayat Baig. Baig is reportedly also wanted in a case related to the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The other person was arrested from Nasik and has been identified as Bilal. Police also claim to have recovered some explosives from the duo.

ATS chief Rakesh Maria said that Baig was arrested in Pune and had been involved in two other cases.

"The first arrest was made from Mahatma Gandhi bus stand in Pune. The person is involved in two previous cases. The case took us to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Daman and New Delhim," Maria told reporters here.

"The second arrest was made from Nasik. Two kilograms of RDX seized from the two accused along with wires, manuals for making bomb, pen drives, study material and the U.S. and Indian currency," Maria added.

He also said that the two accused had been working for Pakistan- based terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

"They have carried out recce of some sights for LeT. Himayat Baig is very important and is the LeT chief of Maharashtra, who brought Aurangabad module and Indian Mujahedeen module together."

"The conspiracy was hatched in January at Udgir in Latur district. Himayat Baig used to run Global Internet Cafe in Udgir where explosives were brought, bombs made and some targets were decided. German Bakery was one of them," Maria added.

The ATS chief also claimed that two more people were involved in planning the blast.

"On January 31, Himayat conducted a recce of German Bakery and was also involved in planting the bomb with Mohmmad Ahmed Zarar Siddibappa alias Yasin. On February 3, there was a meeting between Mohsin Choudhry, Yasin and Himayat at Udgir. On February 7, Mohsin got explosives at the internet cafe where the bomb was made," the ATS chief said.

"Mohsin and Yasin are wanted in the case. They were being controlled by somebody in LeT. A pen drive has been seized and some photographs have also been found," he added.

Baig and Bilal reportedly provided only the logistical support for the February 13 blast in which at least 16 people were killed and 65 others injured.

Among those killed were an Italian, an Iranian and two Sudanese.

Source: Xinhua