AN UNFORGETTABLE EPISODE
Mumbai has been a favourite target of Jehadi terrorists. After all, it is the commercial capital of the country. Two years back, they shifted their attention to Bangalore rapidly developing into the principal I.T. hub of India.
In July, 2008, a series of bomb blasts took place in the city. I remember visiting the city soon after, going to all the spots where bombs had been hurled, and finally visiting the Hospital where scores of blast victims were being treated.
Police investigation have indicated that the Bangalore operation was masterminded by Abdul Nasser Madani of Kerala and executed by a protégé of his by name T. Nasseer.
Madani is the Chairman of Kerala’s People’s Democratic Party, a Muslim extremist Party that is being assiduously wooed by both the Congress and the Leftists. When earlier Madani was in jail, the Kerala assembly passed a unanimous resolution demanding his release. The Court trying the 2008 bomb blast case had issued warrants of arrest against Madani which have been executed only last week by the Karnataka Police. Madani therefore has been very much in the news last week.
It is this name that reminds me of an unforgettable episode of my own life.
***
Conscientious newsmen can be very tenacious. For political persons, this is sometimes very annoying. But I cannot forget an occasion when such tenacity on the part of ETV, a TV news channel based in Hyderabad, proved a boon for me, and actually saved my life.
This happened in February 1998, when I had gone to Tamilnadu to campaign for the Lok Sabha election held that year. In Tamilnadu we had a poll alliance with the AIADMK.
I was in Chennai on February 13. On February 14, I was to address two rallies, one during the day at Coimbatore and the second in the evening at Tiruchi where AIADMK Chief Dr. Jayalalitha also was to address the gathering.
A short while before I was to depart for Coimbatore an ETV correspondent confronted me at the Hotel where I was putting up and told me that my Delhi office had assured the channel that while in Chennai I would give them a full-length interview. I was unaware of any such assurance. The schedule as drawn up by the State unit did not seem to give scope for much flexibility, particularly because the timing of my reaching Tiruchi had to be coordinated with the AIADMK leaders programme.
But the ETV’s perseverance made me yield.
But this so upset my schedule, that the special aircraft which took me to Coimbatore reached its destination more than two hours late.
At the Coimbatore airport I was surprised to see a large posse of policemen. An eerie silence prevailed while a few officials could be seen huddled together in one corner. A senior official met me and informed me that a series of blasts had taken place at the venue of my rally, as also in other parts of the city. He said that Sec. 144 had been clamped on the whole city, and that I would not be allowed to go into the city.
I insisted on meeting party colleagues who were outside the airport. They told me that around 50 persons had died in the blasts, and some 200 persons were injured. They also told me that a person who was obviously a human bomb had blown himself up when chased by the police. I told the D.M. that the 200 persons injured must have come for my rally, and so felt it was my duty to visit the Hospital where they were being treated.
There was initial resistance to my request, but ultimately it was acceded to. I did visit the Hospital and met many patients.
It would be appropriate to reproduce a report carried in May, 1998 by FRONTLINE a fortnightly magazine published by The Hindu, Chennai. Dated May 09-22, 1998, this report bearing the caption “Human bombs and human error” says :
“Were human bombs kept ready to kill L.K. Advani on February 14 at R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, where he was to address a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election meeting ? This question had generated a controversy after the serial blasts in the city with Advani asserting that he was the target of a human bomb at the venue of the meeting that day.
Now, after more than two months of investigation by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of the Tamil Nadu Police, a definitive answer is available: there were three human bombs targeting Advani that day.
Informed police sources identified them as Amjad Ali (19) of Melapalayam, near Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu; Mohammed Jameshah (22) of N.H. Road, Coimbatore; and Amanullah (22), also of Melapalayam. All of them belong to Al-Umma, a Muslim fundamentalist organization. According to the police, the bomb blasts in Coimbatore on February 14 “were planned and executed” by Al-Umma and “masterminded by its leader S.A. Basha as a retaliation for the killing of 19 Muslims in Coimbatore on November 30/December 1, 1997.”While Amjad Ali and Mohammed Jameshah have been arrested, Amanullah is absconding. Sources in the police said that the three wore belt bombs that contained the explosive PETN. The bombs were designed by Basit, also of Melapalayam. Basit, who is absconding, is an associate of Basha. The belt bomb, according to the police, was “fixed” by M. Mohammed Ansari, the second-in-command of Basha. They believe that the explosives were supplied by “Karate” Raju who belongs to Kerala. A deserter from the Assam Rifles, Raju could have got the PETN from the insurgency-affected northeastern region of the country, the sources said.
According to the sources, Amjad Ali was specifically detailed to target Advani, and Mohammed Jameshah and Amanullah were stand-bys. One source said: They were seated at the meeting place but were not able to go near the dais because of the police cordon. They were about 400 metres from the dais. There were others meant for back-up.
The plan to target Advani failed because his aircraft landed late in Coimbatore. Meanwhile, the bombs placed by Al-Umma in cars, two-wheelers and fruit carts went off around the venue of the meeting and at different places in the city, killing about 50 persons. There was rank confusion around the venue and Amjad Ali fled.
In a meticulous investigation, the CB-CID, headed by Inspector-General of Police Param Vir Singh, cracked the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts. Out of 167 persons identified as involved in the conspiracy, 110 were arrested. They included S.A. Basha (48), Al-Umma’s acting president Tajuddin (38) and leader of the Islamic Defence Force (IDF) Ali Abdulla.
Tajuddin (38) had taken over as the acting president of Al-Umma in place of Basha in October 1997. According to the police, Tajuddin had met the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Abdul Nasser Madani, in Kerala, and through him, Raju. Madani was arrested by the Kerala Police on March 31 at Kochi.”
In 2001 Assembly elections, the DMK lost and AIADMK returned to power. Charges were framed against the accused in the Coimbatore case in October 2001. The SIT’s chargesheet ran into a whopping 17000 pages. More than 1300 witnesses were examined.
The judgement was finally delivered in August, 2007. The court convicted Syed Ahmed Basha, leader of banned Al Umma, and 71 of his associates. However, the principal accused in this case, Abdul Nasser Madani was acquitted on the ground that the evidence was inadequate.
The country will now be watching with keenness what happens in the Karnataka trial.
L.K. Advani
New Delhi
August 22, 2010
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August 23rd, 2010 at 12:41 am
Dear Sir,
Most of what you are saying is right, but why our courts /governments support these kind of activities? And the people who do this? Partially BJP also is responsible for this, why I say this is because, in the South India, especially in Kerala, the BJP leaders do not have unity. If any social issue comes we don’t find them involved. All they do is issue statements, but no action.
According to my opinion, lot of people including me, wish to or dream to have a BJP Government in Kerala in the coming years. As a first phase, we need strong leaders who can lead and co-ordinate the people well. The situation here in Kerala has now changed. Hindu people have started to think of their own security from the terrorists who stand for their own rules and agenda.
This is the time you should prepare tactics to attract the people towards BJP. The current situation has made people to think of voting for the BJP. But the issue is BJP should make them believe that BJP can handle the Governance smoothly and effectively.(cont.)
August 24th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Sir,
Article is really an untold story, but still it needs to broaden. Madani was acquitted in bomb blast case in 2006 just before TN state assembly election, it would have not happened that the person who has served jail for 5 years and police couldnтАЩt provide evidence to prove him guilty, just to garner Muslim vote DMK govt didnтАЩt take stringent action against him.
Even other terrorists’ names that you have mentioned in your article are serving imprisonment. I think we lost track of the whole story all those who where convicted in this case were released by state govt just ahead of 2009 Lok Sabah election giving reason that govt is showing clemency to this people on birth centenary of Anna the founder of DMK. On both the occasion BJP failed to nail Dravidian party who let the terrorist off the hook just for votes.
If clemency can be shown towards terrorists then why Gujarat Govt should not show clemency towards arrested police officers serving jail term for a just encounter?
August 24th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Namaste, Sir.
Please take care of kerala sector. It is very necessary for BJP to be strong in kerala. Otherwise the state will soon be like a mini Pakistan. Here we don’t have any strong leadership in BJP. Actually there is a base, but we are helpless to grow due to lack of a good leadership. So sir, please take care and put in your full efforts for kerala and interfere directly in the issues here.
August 25th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
The United Sates of America has not faced any threat after the world trade centre attack. The main reason for this is, the people of America has a strong feeling that ‘ We Are Americans’ first. religion comes next. But in India, there are certain political party they always try to follow the same old British policy ‘ Divide & Conquer’.
Advaniji, I request you take the lead from the front to bring the people of India under one roof, they should feel security irrespective of their cast and religion. Only for such party has a bright future in the modern India as mindset of the people are totally changed now. I admit that very few percentage of people in all community in India are religious fundamentalists and unfortunately there are some innocent people who are fallen into their false advise.
United we Stand, Divided we fall !!! We are Indians. I proud to be an Indian.. Jaihind
August 25th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Sorry is word what we all read or heard from Mr. Sibal for denying Doctorate to Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand.
Did we try to find out what is the real reason for denying this prestigious Doctorate to him ?
1)Media and Government say dual citizenship, there is no such reason and we all know it.
2)Tamil-Brahmin may be one reason? May be May not be, even DMK didnтАЩt stepped in and tried to get him this Doctorate when DMK can confer Doctorate to Actor Vijay.
3)Real reason is here Viswanathan Anand sharing dais with Gujarat CM few months back, where he was invited to promote chess in the state. Even Mr. Modi is all set to organize world chess championship and plan is to invite players across the country.
4) Treatment given to Big B for promoting Gujarat tourism is very well known to all of us.
5)Vishy, Big B, Late Kishor Kumar all have met the same fate.
Very good example of crocodile tear by HR Minister and by Media too. DonтАЩt trust either of them. Vishy knows this thing. So he is silent.
But why are we all silent ?
August 26th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Dear Advaniji,
It is really sad to have learnt your rendezvous with the terror threat and your providential escape (unforgettable…).
By the way, when you were the Hon’ble Home minister of this great country, what were you doing at that time about such threats ? Didn’t you have any informations about this Abdul Nasser Madani ? We all know abount his ISS and, in fact, a report in the TIMES of India in earliy nintees predicted that he shall one day become a great threat to the unity of this country. How could you ignore this when you became the Home minister and adorned that post for 6 years ? Why did not you not take any action against him and tried to control his PDP which he has changed his ISS to ?
August 27th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
@praveen9112Ji,
Maintaining Law And Order situation lies in the hands of respective state govts, so Madni was arrested in Tamil Nadu. In 2001 DMK Govt came back to power by defeating AIADMK, so as far as Madani’s case is concerned you can read my first comment that he was acquitted by trial court citing lack of evidence. Others who also served jail too were released on grounds of clemency. Recently we all saw how this man made use of loopholes existing in our law when Karnataka Police went to arrest him in Kerala. Moreover we all saw Tamasha how he was prevented by Kerala Govt from getting arrested.
Similarly, on the eve of the Independence day, J & K govt too released around 11 terrorists by showing clemency [or was it political compulsion !]. So, this is how the country nurtures and grooms terrorists.
Hope Karnataka Govt would not succumb to the pressure of minority vote banks.
August 28th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Leaders are the back bone of any country. If they have wise vision the country concerned develops fast other wise it will be ruined that is an irreparable loss. Our some leaders are really praiseworthy who have done a lot for the country but a few have done some blunders so that the country has still been facing its consequences. Sometimes a few leaders support the terrorism deliberately or ignorantly. That is the worst part of the politics.
The parties in government and in opposition must understand one thing clearly and be determined that they would not support terrorism in any way whether the party concerned comes on the ruling level or not. If any good leader is lost due to terrorism, it is not just the loss of his family, his party but that of the the nation too. Besides the country loses its respect among other countries and its development is also hampered. If any Govt. or a leader caters to the terrorism, the day comes when the said is ruined by it. It’s like riding a hungry tiger. Pakistan is the living example of such an act.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:31 am
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