Gujarat ATS nabs one of India's most wanted terrorists

Moosa Halari had entered India twice on a Pakistani passport after absconding in 1993

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat police on Monday arrested one of India's most wanted terrorists, Moosa Halari Munaf Abdul Majeed, 53, alias Munaf, accused in the deadly Mumbai serial bomb blasts in 1993, from the Mumbai international airport. He was flying to Dubai from Mumbai on a Pakistani passport, in which he is called Anwar Mohammed.

According to the Gujarat ATS, ACP K K Patel received information about Halari, who is also wanted in a case where 35 kg heroin valued at around R180 crore was seized on the high seas last year. The ATS had arrested five Pakistani nationals and Halari was shown as wanted in the case. "We got information that the accused took a connecting flight from Nairobi to Dubai via Mumbai on a Pakistani passport. When he landed in Mumbai our teams detained him," said Himanshu Shukla, deputy inspector general of police, Gujarat ATS.

His Pakistani passport in which he is called Anwar Mohammed

Halari is a very close associate of Tiger Memon, one of the main conspirators in the Mumbai 1993 serial blasts case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had issued a red corner notice against Halari in 1995. According to the notice, he had procured three brand new scooters for the blasts. "We are interrogating why exactly he took connecting flights from Mumbai, and if he was supposed to meet someone on the route for terror activities," Shukla said.

The March 12, 1993, serial blasts had resulted in the death of 257 people, injured 713 and destroyed property worth more than Rs 27 crore. According to the Gujarat ATS, after the serial blasts in Mumbai, Halari fled to Bareilly, and thereafter to Bangkok. Tiger Memon got a Pakistani passport prepared for Halari with help of Pakistani authorities. Halari's Pakistani passport is in the name of Anwar Muhammad.

Halari had entered India twice on a Pakistani passport after absconding in 1993. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, Halari was named in the top 50 wanted terrorists list dossier India had submitted to Pakistan after the 26/11 terror attacks. He was No. 18 on it.

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