Two LeT men formally charged for Hyderabad theatre blast
By IANSFriday, October 29, 2010
NEW DELHI - The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday filed charge sheets in a Hyderabad court against two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives for the 2006 blast at a movie theatre in the city.
The charge sheets have been filed against Hyderabad resident Mohammed Zia-ul-Haque alias Abu Rehman alias Wali, who is in the judicial custody and Pakistani national Abdul Aziz alias Abu Rehman, who is on the run since the blast, an NIA release said.
Two people were injured in the blast at Odeon cinema May 7, 2006.
According to the charges, formally filed in the sessions court at Nampally, Zia-ul-Haque conspired with Abdul Aziz and other LeT operatives based outside India to wage war against India and indulge in terrorist acts.
Zia-ul-Haque, who had been working in Saudi Arabia since 1996, was influenced by Abdul Aziz and others to wage jihad against India and was taken to Karachi in early 2002 and then to Muzaffarabad in Pakistani Kashmir, where he joined the LeT.
He received 45 days’ training in using arms and e-mail communications along with other trainees at a camp in Muzaffarabad. After completing training, Zia-ul-Haque infiltrated into India through Poonch sector of the Line of Control along with other LeT cadres.
In December 2005, Zia-ul-Haque visited Delhi and collected a consignment of arms on the instructions of Abdul Aziz, the charge sheet says, adding that hotel records for the period confirm his visit.
A portion of this consignment was used by him in the grenade attack at the theatre.
According to the NIA, Zia-ul-Haque had carried out a recce of a number of possible targets in Hyderabad. He was arrested May 3 this year.
Involvement of 13 other LeT operatives and handlers - 12 Pakistanis and a Bangladeshi - also surfaced in this case. However, they are yet to be traced and interrogated, the NIA release said.
