BENGALURU: A special court for terrorism cases in Bengaluru has convicted Dr. Syed Ismail Afaque, a homoeopathic doctor from Bhatkal, for being part of a terrorist group and supplying explosives to the Indian Mujahideen (IM). Afaque was arrested in January 2015 after being identified as a key supplier of ammonium nitrate to IM operatives.
The court found Afaque guilty under Sections 13 (unlawful activities) and 20 (membership of a terrorist group) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code, and under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.
“Acting under Section 235(2) of the Cr.P.C., Accused No. 1 is convicted for offences punishable under Sections 120B and 121A of the IPC, Sections 13, 20, 23, and 38 of the UAPA, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act,” the court ruled on Monday.
Associates Also Convicted
Two of Afaque’s associates, Abdul Suboor (33) and Saddam Hussain (45), both from Bhatkal, were also convicted for unlawful activities and under the Explosives Act. However, they, along with Afaque, were acquitted of charges of committing a terrorist act under Section 16 of the UAPA, as they were not directly involved in any blasts.
A fourth accused, Riyaz Ahmed Sayeedi (41), who was alleged to be a conduit between IM leaders and the explosive supply group, was acquitted of all charges. The court scheduled the sentencing hearing for December 18.
Background of Arrests
Dr. Afaque and his associates were apprehended after security agencies intensified their efforts to track IM operatives following the *2013 Dilsukhnagar blast in Hyderabad, which killed 17 people. The investigations led to the arrest of *Yasin Bhatkal on the Nepal border, uncovering an explosives supply chain linked to Bhatkal.
According to the chargesheet, *IM leaders Riyaz Shahbandari (Riyaz Bhatkal) and Iqbal Shahbandari, based in Pakistan and Dubai, instructed Afaque in *2009 to establish an explosives supply network after a police crackdown forced IM leaders to flee the country following multiple blasts in 2008.
Key Findings
- Investigations revealed Afaque’s role in supplying explosives used in major attacks:
- July 13, 2011: Mumbai blasts (Zaveri Bazaar)
- August 1, 2012: Pune blasts
- February 21, 2013: Dilsukhnagar blast, Hyderabad
The police confirmed Afaque procured ammonium nitrate and other materials under the guise of legitimate activities like fishing and secretly supplied them to IM operatives.
Explosive Seizures
During the arrests in January 2015, a large quantity of explosive materials was seized from Abdul Suboor’s house in Bhatkal, including:
- Ammonium nitrate
- Detonators
- Electronic timers
- Digital circuits
- PVC pipes
- Gel-based explosives
- Fuel oil
Internet Chats Reveal Explosives Network
Investigations also uncovered chat transcripts between Dr. Afaque and Riyaz Bhatkal on the Nimbuzz messenger service, confirming his role in the IM’s explosives supply chain.
Connections to Other Blasts
An associate of Afaque, *Zainulabideen alias Zahid Sheikh, deported from the UAE in 2015, was linked to the delivery of explosives for the *July 13, 2011 Mumbai blasts, which killed 23 people.
Police stated that IM operatives had previously indicated that explosives were sourced from the Udupi-Mangalore region, but the real identity of the supplier remained unknown until Afaque’s arrest.
With the arrest of major operatives like Yasin Bhatkal and Asadullah Akhtar, and subsequent investigations, the missing link in IM’s explosives supply chain was finally established.
