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Sect denies hand in bomb blasts

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

Deendar Anjuman today denied a hand in the series of bomb blasts at churches in the country.

A day after the Union Home Ministry confirmed the involvement of the Hyderabad-based organisation in 12 blasts at places of worship and the circulation of literature against Christians, it was all quiet at the campus of the Anjuman at Asifnagar, in the city.

Anjuman office-bearers spent the day, talking to the media, particularly TV channels, denying their role.

"We strongly condemn bomb attacks at churches and hate literature. We also condemn attempts by the police and government to link our organisation to these incidents. We have nothing to do with them and we are ready to co-operate with the police to track down the culprits," said Moulana Mohammed Osman Ali Mallanna, acting president of the Deendar Anjuman.

The 80-year-old moulana said, "We are not anti-anybody. We are not against any religion or community. In fact, the Anjuman is a religious organisation founded by Hazrat Siddique Deendar Channabasweshwar Qibla 76 years ago, to promote peace, brotherhood, tranquility, unity, tolerance and communal harmony among followers of various religions. We have been using peaceful means, by conducting international religious conferences and world peace meetings, organising peace rallies and inviting custodians of Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. We are the last persons to preach hatred or intolerance."

"We are here to make India a heaven for all communities. We are Indians first and last. We have abiding faith in the Indian Constitution. We live here and obey the laws of the land. We have nothing to do with Pakistan or its Inter-Services Intelligence. Police allegations about our involvement in any violent incidents is a conspiracy to defame us," the moulana said.

On whether the two who died and another who survived the bomb blast in a van in Bangalore were associated with the Anjuman, he quipped, "How do we know? There are lakhs of followers, both Muslims and Hindus. How can we know what somebody is doing? The police came to us and wanted details of five suspects. We assured them that we were ready to co-operate. Four youths were picked up by the police for interrogation a few days back, but were released the next morning."

However, a state police team that visited Bangalore to probe recent incidents confirmed similarity between materials used in the blasts in churches in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The team also found that people belonging to the same group were involved in incidents in the two states. Even main suspect Ibrahim, who has been arrested by the Bangalore police, reportedly confirmed to the Andhra Pradesh police team that his group -- Deendar Anjuman -- is involved.

"This organisation is spread over several parts of the country. It put up placards like 'Islam is the only way' during the visit of United States President Bill Clinton to Hyderabad in March. Investigations show that its cadres have been going to Pakistan regularly since 1992. We are convinced it is involved in the bomb blasts," a senior state police official said. However, a senior officer of the city police said that the Anjuman had never came to the ''adverse notice'' of the police.

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