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Al Umma hand feared in ferrying of explosives

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

The sensational explosive seizure case in Kerala has taken a new turn.

Al Umma, which was allegedly involved in the Coimbatore serial blasts, is said to be behind the transportation of several bags containing explosives in the Kochi-Kurla Express.

The bags had allegedly been dumped on the railway track near Pazhayangadi in Kannur district. Eyewitnesses had said two passengers who were carrying the explosives had panicked when smoke billowed out of the bags.

The duo has not been traced so far.

The Kerala police suspect that Praveen Mohammed, a Hindu who had embraced Islam, was a key accused in the case.

According to police sources, the possible involvement of Praveen Mohammad has been indicated by a Tamil Islamic publication found along with the explosives.

Though the literature had showed Praveen and Mohammad as two persons, investigation has revealed that it was the name of one individual. He is said to be a resident of Chemmad near Kozhikode University.

Praveen, who converted to Islam along with his wife, had become a 'hardcore fundamentalist' after a stint in the Gulf.

On his return from the Gulf, he had been working among the Tamil migrant labourers in Ponnani. His main task was to recruit them for terrorist activities, according to the police.

Interestingly, a majority of the Al Umma activists, who have been caught in connection with the Coimbatore serial blasts, were Tamil Hindus, who had embraced Islam.

On Tuesday, the police conducted extensive raids on the offices of various Muslim organisations in Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts, including that of the National Democratic Front. The police had been tipped off that some of these outfits were behind the transportation of explosives.

The police do not rule out the involvement of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, having close links with the dreaded Al Umma and the NDF, in the incident.

Several pamphlets published by these organisations were seized during the raids.

The police also raided several lodges, which were allegedly patronised by the militants.

The police said that the raids were precautionary in nature and based on suspicions that the explosives had been loaded into the train between Kozhikode and Kannur.

Moreover, several incidents had strengthened the suspicion that religious fundamentalists were active in Malappuram and other Muslim-dominated parts of north Kerala.

Communist Party of India-Marxist secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had said that several militant outfits had taken root in the state. He had termed the NDF as a fundamentalist outfit having links with foreign agencies.

He had said that the organisation was churning out trained youths for militant activities. However, the state government did not take a serious view of the party secretary's statement and has not taken any follow-up action so far.

The police also have reasons to believe that the region has staunch supporters of the militants, who are ready to give them shelter when they are on the run.

However, a large section of the Muslim community is opposed to religious fundamentalists.

The police action has been rather swift this time as the seizure of the explosives came just before the scheduled visit of Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani to Mangalapuram.

EARLIER REPORT:

The jihad within

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