Lashkar e Toiba links of Popular Front exposed

One more arrested for attack on professor

VR Jayaraj | Kochi – Daily Pioneer

The Kerala Police on Monday arrested yet another activist of the Islamist outfit, Popular Front of India (PFI), in the case of the July 4 Taliban-model attack on a college professor in Muvattupuzha even as they started the legal procedures to get clearance to question LeT operative Sarfaraz Nawaz in connection with the seizure of Jihadi pamphlets from a PFI man’s house.

The police had seized a pamphlet titled Islam and Democracy, which contained anti-national writings, during a raid on the house of Popular Front leader Kunjumon in Kunjunnikkara, Aluva recently. The pamphlet was written by one Sarfaraz Nawaz. The police had registered a case against Kunjumon charging him with anti-national activities after the seizure.

A Kerala Police team has already reached Bangalore to question LeT’s Nawaz, presently lodged in a prison there in connection with the 2008 bombings case, for confirming that he himself was the author of the pamphlet. They also intend to find out whether the Popular Front has any connections with him. “If there is any connection, it would prove that the terror network in Kerala is bigger than we think,” said a senior Home Department official.

Popular Front activist KM Ali of Mulavoor, Muvattupuzha was arrested by the special team probing the attack on Prof TJ Joseph, in which suspected PFI men cut off his right hand for preparing a question paper that blasphemed Prophet Muhammad. Ali is said to have taken part in the conspiracy that led to the attack. With Ali’s arrest, the total number of arrested persons in the case went up to 15.

According to police officials, Ali had taken part in the earlier Popular Front attempts to attack Joseph. They said his task was to observe the surroundings when the organization’s activists tried to attack the professor. It is also said that he had arranged the venue and facilities for the assailants to hold a meeting after the attack on the morning of July 4.

Meanwhile, the police have started efforts to confiscate the property and assets of main accused Nasser and KK Ali. A Muvattupuzha court had last week declared Nasser and Ali as absconders and before that they had issued lookout notices for the duo. The police think that confiscation of property would force them to surrender.

While Nasser is said to be the chief conspirator and mastermind behind the attack on the professor, Ali was the one who arranged the Maruti Omni vehicle which the perpetrators used to reach the spot of attack. According to key accused Yunus, arrested on July 21, Nasser had organized two of the assailants. Yunus had told the police that a total of seven persons had taken part in the attack.

At the same time, allegations have come up that the police are deliberately delaying the investigation into the attack due to pressure from some certain quarters. Though almost one month has passed since the incident, not even a single person of the seven-member gang that had attacked the professor has been caught.

There are allegations that an understanding has been reached at between the Popular Front and the police to hush up the case after arresting some insignificant PFI workers. It is said that the Popular Front has struck a deal with the police, under which it would hand over some persons to be projected as accused so that the arrest of key persons and further raids on the outfit’s premises would not take place.

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