KOZHIKODE: The verdict of the Ahmedabad blast case which was pronounced on Friday, was widely discussed in Kerala as it involved many Keralites. The major allegation was that Malayali siblings PA Shibly and PA Shaduly hailing from Erattupetta, and Ansar Nadvi from Aluva were members of Indian Mujahideen (IM), the terror outfit formed after a split in the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Among these Shibly and Shaduly were awarded death sentences and Nadvi got life term.
It was argued that a breakaway faction led by SIMI former general secretary Safdar Nagori had established a pan-India network of terror groups. Shibly was a computer professional who worked in various companies in the country. Nadvi did his higher education from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
It was also alleged that the terror group had organised training camps at various places in India including Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Castle Rock in Karnataka and Wagamon in Idukki, Kerala. More than 40 IM cadres had assembled at the camp where training was imparted in the use of explosives. Shibly, Shaduly and Nagori were the accused in the case and were awarded seven years imprisonment in the case.
Another person who was awarded death sentence in Ahmedabad case is E T Sharafudeen, son of E T Sainudeen alias Abdul Sathar, the IM cadre from Kondotty who was alleged to be the bomb-maker for the outfit. It was alleged that IM leader Riyaz Bhatkal, who is still absconding, wanted Sainudeen to make some integrated chips to be used as timer device in the bombs.
It was reported that Riyaz Bhatkal had come to Kuttippuram in Malappuram in 2007 and met IM cadres including Thadiyantavide Nazeer and Abdul Rahim at a lodge. Shuhaib Pottanikkal, a person hailing from Kodinji in Malappuram and was working in the Gulf at that time, was accused to have facilitated Bhatkal’s meeting with Kerala IM men.
Bhatkal wanted to avenge the killings of Muslims during the Gujarat riots. The charge against Sharafudeen was that he transported the integrated chips from Malappuram to Kannur and handed them over to a person sent by Bhatkal. The court, however, acquitted Sainudeen and Shuhaib in the case.
Some of those connected with the Ahmedabad case were also related to the recruitment of youths from Kerala to Jammu and Kashmir for alleged terror training. Abdul Rahim, who went to Kuttippuram railway station to receive Bhatkal was one among those killed in J&K in an encounter with the security forces.