BOMBAY, 7 October 2006 — Designated judge of the special Terrorist and Disrutive Activities Act (TADA) yesterday convicted three close aides of prime accused Tiger Memon on various charges. Judge P.D. Kode stated that Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar, Parvez Mohammed Zulfiqar Qureshi and Mohammed Shahid Nizamuddin Qureshi, were found guilty and that they had assisted the prime accused Tiger Memon to execute the blasts.

The three accused heard the verdict calmly without exhibiting any signs of anxiety.

They face punishment ranging from five years to life sentence. So far 31 accused have been convicted, including the three convicted today, while 13 accused had been acquitted for lack of evidence.

Shaikh Umar was found guilty of conspiracy, involvement in the landing of arms and explosives, and loading RDX explosives in vehicles that were planted at different locations in Bombay on the day of blasts, compelling co-accused Gul Muhammed to join in the conspiracy by making him undergo arms training in Pakistan, possessing arms and surveying targets with Tiger Memon, undertaking a mission to assassinate municipal councilors at the Bombay Municipal Corporation building. The judge however, acquitted Umar on the charges of undergoing arms training in Pakistan.

Mohammed Shahid Nizamuddin Qureshi was held guilty for participating in the landing of arms, ammunition and explosives at Raigad, but the judge acquitted him of the charges of conspiracy and undergoing arms training in Pakistan stating that the prosecution lawyer had failed to prove these charges.

The third accused Parvez Mohammed Zulfiqar Qureshi was held guilty on the charges of undergoing arms training in Pakistan, loading RDX explosives in vehicles and actively participating in the landing of arms and ammunition in Raigad. The accused was also found guilty of possessing weapons.

Earlier, the judge recorded the statements on the quantum of punishment of accused Nasir Abdul Kadar alias Nasir Dhakla and Mohammed Rafiq Usman Shaikh, who were convicted yesterday for their complicity in the conspiracy behind the blasts. Both the accused pleaded with the judge for leniency stating that they had suffered in the communal riots in 1993 and were forced in the conspiracy by other accused who exploited their sentiments. Speaking to the media outside the court, public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said that today’s verdict was significant and important as it brings out transparently the bold attempt of Tiger Memon and his henchmen to strike terror in Bombay in 1993.

Meanwhile in a related important development Judge Kode ordered a probe into accused Abu Salem’s interview in prison and asked as to how did the Television camera penetrated the TADA court premises in the high security Arthur Road prison.

Taking serious objection to Salem’s interview that television with the help of a hidden camera, Kode said that the incident was serious. Issuing a directive, the judge described it as a ‘caution warning ‘ to the media covering the proceedings of the serial blasts case.

Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam requested the judge to warn the media that henceforth no camera should be brought into the court and no interviews of the accused lodged in the prison nor there should be any picturization of proceedings of the court, and if the media violated these directives, they should be dealt with sternly in accordance of the law. The judge then asked Nikam to view the television report CD and the transcripts provided by the prison superintendent and inform him whether it amounted to contempt of court, and if yes, then initiate action.

Further the judge told the media “ Publish only authenticated information and don’t be speculative. If you rely on somebody and if he disowns, the person who published it will when to face the consequences he warned.

To a rquest of the prison jailor to restrain journalists from entering the prison premises inside which th TADA court is situated, the judge said “It is a public court. You cannot do that.” The warning from the judge has created jitters and fear in the journalists covering the blasts trials.