Madani part of Bangalore blasts plot

BANGALORE: Abdul Nasser Madani, the PDP leader from Kerala, had visited Lakkeri estate in Madapura, Kodagu district, which the police said was used by blast mastermind T Nasir for running a terror camp.

Police have booked Abdul Nasser Madani, the PDP leader from Kerala, for abetting waging of war against India.

The additional chargesheet filed in court in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts case — which mentions Madani as an accused and a copy of which was reviewed by Express — says the PDP leader was not only present at a meeting to discuss the terror attack, but also gave precautionary instructions to T Nasir, the main accused.

The officer said Nasir along with Sarfaraz Nawaz and others conducted a recce of Bangalore, which they reported to Madani at a house in Ernakulam, Kerala, which was rented by them to explain the plan.

“Madani even assured them support for the jihadi work,” he said.

Investigating officer in the blasts case H M Omkaraiah has cited this in the additional chargesheet.

When Madani attended the meeting in Coorg, Nasir, Ummer Farooq, Ayub, Safaz, Saleem, Abdul Raheem, Mohammed Fayaz, P Fais, Mohammed Yaseen and others were present, the officer said.

In the second week of March 2008, Sarfaraz Nawaz — now in jail — returned to India from Muscat and met Nasir alias Ummer Haji at Parappuram Fire Station in Perumbavoor, Kerala.

A couple of days after his arrival, Nawaz along with his family and Ummer Haji left for Haji’s farm house near Virajpet, the officer said.

Then, they came to Bangalore for a recce and selected the places to plant bombs.

Sources said Madani visited Coorg before Nawaz did on his way to Bangalore.

Nawaz had confessed before the police earlier that after the recce, they returned to Kerala and visited the place of one of Nasir’s friends who was a member of the National Development Front (NDF).

The NDF is a right wing Muslim organisation in Kerala.

The investigating officers suspect that the ‘NDF member’ mentioned by Nawaz was Madani.

The anti-terror cell has collected corroborative evidence against Madani which proves his involvement.

The law officers who are working behind the case said in the present situation Madani cannot even get anticipatory bail since it is a sensitive case.

The police have also booked him for concealing information to facilitate war against the country in their additional chargesheet filed before the Ist Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate against Madani and Shohib alias Faizal of Kerala.

An officer said the police are still under dilemma over executing the non-bailable warrant, which the court issued on Wednesday, as it will create repercussions in and around Kerala leading to law and problem problems.