Qasmani bombed Samjautha Express with al-Qaeda help, but govt looked the other way

Following this the case took a major u-turn and the role of some Hindu outfits was probed.

Arif Qasmani was named by the United States of America as the man behind the Samjautha Express blast. His name cropped up on the basis of intelligence and investigations conducted by the US authorities.

Following the blasts, India probed both the SIMI and Lashkar-e-Tayiba angle to the blasts. Meanwhile the information that was coming in from the intelligence agencies suggested that Qasmani, a Lashkar operative was a financier for the outfit. The US which had him under the radar as he was providing support to the al-Qaeda as well found that he was involved in the Samjautha Express blast.

It was found that the al-Qaeda had provided Qasmani with operatives to carry out not just the Samjautha blasts, but also the Mumbai train bombings of 2006.

Both the US treasury as well as the UNSC maintained that Qasmani with the help of al-Qaeda operatives had carried out both the blasts.

When the NIA took over the probe, it had sought information from the agencies about the role played by Qasmani. It even went into the narco analysis conducted on SIMI chief Safdar Nagori who claimed that some of his operatives were involved in both the bombings. However no information was provided and the then Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that the role of Qasmani was not brought to his attention. Even in the files of the Haryana police which registered the first case, Qasmani's name did not figure.

Following this the case took a major u-turn and the role of some Hindu outfits was probed. The NIA has been working with the agencies in the US to get more information on Qasmani. The NIA said that the probe continues and a lot of would depend on fresh evidence. Meanwhile the NIA court has summoned 13 witnesses from Pakistan to testify before it.

OneIndia News