4 get 10 years in jail for plotting bomb attacks in Chennai

CHENNAI: A special court in the city on Monday sentenced four members of a Muslim radical organisation to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for plotting bomb blasts at temples in Chennai in 2002.
According to the prosecution, police were on an alert after receiving a tip that Muslim Defence Force (MDF) was planning explosions at important Hindu temples in the city to foment communal violence on December 6, 2002, the 10th anniversary of Babri masjid demolition.
Special public prosecutor N Vijayaraj said during a vehicle check, a police team led by sub-inspector Mahindran apprehended two MDF operatives, Zakir Hussain alias Zakirah, 28, and Towfiq alias Yasir, 27, with 5kg of explosives, 40 gelatin sticks and detonators near Rajaratnam Nagar bridge in Kodungaiyur on November 29, 2002.
Subsequently, a case was registered under Sections 5, 9 (B) and (1) (a) of the Explosives Substances Act and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Based on information from the duo, police seized a large amount of explosives from Mallipattinam in Thanjavur district, and arrested two more people, Nizamuddin and Abdul Quadir. The case was later transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department After investigation, police chargesheeted 23 people in the case. On completion of the trial, P Murugan, judge of the special court for bomb blast cases in Poonamallee, sentenced Zakir, Towfiq, Nizammudin and Abdul Quadir to 10 years of RI.
The court also slapped each with a fine of 5,000. The court acquitted 17 accused as the prosecution was unable to prove charges against them. Two of the accused are absconding.
MDF was founded in Saudi Arabia by Abu Hamsa, 35, of Hyderabad with the objective of extending Islamist fundamentalism to south India. MDF reportedly also had links with Lashkar-e-Toiba, responsible for the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai. According to police Zakir had confessed that he had gone to Saudi Arabia and befriended Abu Hamsa in Riyadh.