The two pressure cooker bombs and a pistol allegedly recovered from the ‘Al Qaeda’ terrorists in Lucknow are incomparable to the state wide terror unleashed by the government in the recent zila and block panchayat elections, activists said in Lucknow today.
The Rihai Manch, a forum for the release of innocents targeted in the name of terror, and the Socialist Party of India released a report on the recent arrests in Lucknow.
“Elections are due in the state in 2022. Covid mismanagement, defeat in the panchayat elections, scams in the purchase of land for Ram Mandir have indicated to the BJP that it is losing political ground in UP. Hence, it has now started its old game of political polarisation around terrorism,” said Sandeep Pandey, a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner.
Minhaz Ahmed (30) and Maseeruddin (50) were arrested ‘with explosives’ in Lucknow on July 11. On July 13, three more alleged terrorists—Mohammad Mustaqeem (44), Mohammad Moid (29) and Shakeel (35)—were arrested on charges of helping the first two in plotting terror attacks across the country before August 15. According to the police, all five are members of the Al Qaeda-supported Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.
The report points out that all the five arrested are men of modest means. Minhaz sells batteries and Maseerudin and Shakeel drive e-rickshaws. Mohammad Moid is a buyer and seller of properties while Mohammad Mustaqeem is a labour contractor.
The report alleges that these men were arrested on the basis of tenuous connections that they shared. Maseerudin and Shakeel had bought batteries from Minhaz. “Mohammad Mustaqeem was overseeing the construction of a house next to Maseeruddin’s. The police took his mobile phone and identification card and later called him to the Madiyaon thana to arrest him. While the homes of the other arrested were searched, his was not,” says the report.
The report has also made note of the fact that the economic status and living conditions of these men in no way indicate that they were being supported financially by a terror organisation.
“It appears that they have been arrested on the basis of a concocted story about the recovery of pressure cookers and a pistol,” said Mohammed Shoaib, president of the Rihai Manch.
Shoaib, a lawyer, also pointed out that while the crimes of the arrested were yet to be proved, the Anti-Terrorist Squad had already declared them to be terrorists and their identities and photos had been widely circulated.
“They have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act under which bail is difficult. It is noteworthy that in the last few years merely two per cent of those charged under this Act have been found guilty, which means that most of those arrested under it are innocent”, Shoaib said.
The report has concluded that the arrests are purely political and aimed at religious polarisation.
