TNN | Jun 23, 2004, 12.13 AM IST
THANE: The Thane police are probing whether Shamima Sheikh, mother of collegian Ishrat Sheikh, who was shot dead as a "terrorist'' by police in an encounter at Ahmedabad recently, had any role to play in her daughter becoming an alleged terrorist.
Ishrat was gunned down along with Pune resident Javed and two alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) members.
A three-member team from the Gujarat police interrogated Ishrat's close relatives and acquaintances on Tuesday. The interrogation is taking place in the Thane crime branch office with a local crime branch inspector assisting theGujarat police.
The Gujarat police have refused to divulge any information about their interrogation. A senior Thane police officer claimed, "Ishrat had joined the terrorist group for money.''
The Thane police are investigating whether Shamima had given her consent to Ishrat to join the group. The Thane police are certain that Ishrat knew Javed was involved with a terrorist outfit.
When she spoke to TNN the day after the encounter, Shamima had denied knowing Javed. She also stated that her family was not involved in any terrorist activities and that her daughter was innocent.
However, officers from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been tailing Ishrat and Javed for the past six months and have reports of their trips to Lucknow, Malegaon and Ahmedabad and their alleged involvement with the LeT.
Police sources said that Ishrat was away from home for about a week during each trip. "Ishrat knew very well that Javed was associated with a terrorist group and her mother did not object to the trips,'' said a police officer.
Didn't the 19-year-old girl inform her mother of what she was doing and where she was going with Javed? "We are probing this angle,'' an officer said. He added that there was no love affair between Javed and Ishrat. "In fact, we have confirmed reports of Ishrat having an affair with another person in Mumbra.''
Javed was a Mumbra resident from 1992 to 1998. He had rented a flat in Masood Apartments, a few blocks from Hasmat Park, where Ishrat lived. Javed was initially a thug as he was jobless.
Said an officer, "He assisted landlords in evicting tenants. The Thane police have registered five cases against him, including three for criminal trespass, an assault case and a case for illegally possessing a weapon. In 1996, Javed got a job as an electrician with Mohammed Sheikh, Ishrat's father, who worked as a small-time building contractor.
Javed then became close to the Sheikh family and often visited the latter's two-room house in Hasmat Park, police said. Ishrat was only 11-years-old then and Javed interacted more with Mohammed and his wife Shamima.
In 1998, Javed returned to Pune and married. Sources said that whenever he came to Mumbai, he inquired about the Sheikhs. After Mohammed's death about a year ago, Javed began frequenting the Hasmat Park residence, police sources said.
Apparently, Javed was a "recruiting agent'' for the LeT and his eyes were on Ishrat, an SYBSc student at Khalsa College.
The IB,which was keeping a watch on Javed, found him meeting Ishrat near the college campus and in the Mumbra area. "Ishrat was taking tuitions to run the household and meet her college expenses. Her siblings were still studying while her mother was unemployed,'' an officer said.
"Taking advantage of their poverty, Javed offered her money and lured her into joining his group,'' the officer said. Sources said that Javed is believed to have offered Rs 4 lakh to Ishrat for the latest "mission''.
Meanwhile, a team from the Gujarat police, led by an assistant commissioner, is camping in Mumbra to get more details about Israt and Javed. They are liaisoning with the Thane cops in this connection.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Police-probe-if-Ishrats-mother-knew-of-LeT-link/articleshow/750416.cms
THANE: The Thane police are probing whether Shamima Sheikh, mother of collegian Ishrat Sheikh, who was shot dead as a "terrorist'' by police in an encounter at Ahmedabad recently, had any role to play in her daughter becoming an alleged terrorist.
Ishrat was gunned down along with Pune resident Javed and two alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) members.
A three-member team from the Gujarat police interrogated Ishrat's close relatives and acquaintances on Tuesday. The interrogation is taking place in the Thane crime branch office with a local crime branch inspector assisting theGujarat police.
The Gujarat police have refused to divulge any information about their interrogation. A senior Thane police officer claimed, "Ishrat had joined the terrorist group for money.''
The Thane police are investigating whether Shamima had given her consent to Ishrat to join the group. The Thane police are certain that Ishrat knew Javed was involved with a terrorist outfit.
When she spoke to TNN the day after the encounter, Shamima had denied knowing Javed. She also stated that her family was not involved in any terrorist activities and that her daughter was innocent.
However, officers from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been tailing Ishrat and Javed for the past six months and have reports of their trips to Lucknow, Malegaon and Ahmedabad and their alleged involvement with the LeT.
Police sources said that Ishrat was away from home for about a week during each trip. "Ishrat knew very well that Javed was associated with a terrorist group and her mother did not object to the trips,'' said a police officer.
Didn't the 19-year-old girl inform her mother of what she was doing and where she was going with Javed? "We are probing this angle,'' an officer said. He added that there was no love affair between Javed and Ishrat. "In fact, we have confirmed reports of Ishrat having an affair with another person in Mumbra.''
Javed was a Mumbra resident from 1992 to 1998. He had rented a flat in Masood Apartments, a few blocks from Hasmat Park, where Ishrat lived. Javed was initially a thug as he was jobless.
Said an officer, "He assisted landlords in evicting tenants. The Thane police have registered five cases against him, including three for criminal trespass, an assault case and a case for illegally possessing a weapon. In 1996, Javed got a job as an electrician with Mohammed Sheikh, Ishrat's father, who worked as a small-time building contractor.
Javed then became close to the Sheikh family and often visited the latter's two-room house in Hasmat Park, police said. Ishrat was only 11-years-old then and Javed interacted more with Mohammed and his wife Shamima.
In 1998, Javed returned to Pune and married. Sources said that whenever he came to Mumbai, he inquired about the Sheikhs. After Mohammed's death about a year ago, Javed began frequenting the Hasmat Park residence, police sources said.
Apparently, Javed was a "recruiting agent'' for the LeT and his eyes were on Ishrat, an SYBSc student at Khalsa College.
The IB,which was keeping a watch on Javed, found him meeting Ishrat near the college campus and in the Mumbra area. "Ishrat was taking tuitions to run the household and meet her college expenses. Her siblings were still studying while her mother was unemployed,'' an officer said.
"Taking advantage of their poverty, Javed offered her money and lured her into joining his group,'' the officer said. Sources said that Javed is believed to have offered Rs 4 lakh to Ishrat for the latest "mission''.
Meanwhile, a team from the Gujarat police, led by an assistant commissioner, is camping in Mumbra to get more details about Israt and Javed. They are liaisoning with the Thane cops in this connection.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Police-probe-if-Ishrats-mother-knew-of-LeT-link/articleshow/750416.cms
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