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'This is the method they use to suppress one community'

September 13, 2007

Junaid, Maqsood and Rayeesuddin are three of the about 20 people the Hyderabad police have detained in connection with the August 25 blasts.

Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee Secretary Lateef Mohammed Khan, photographed left, who rallied the families to move the courts and face the media, says at least 50 Muslim youngsters have been detained.

He says few families have mustered the courage to approach the media and move the courts. Many families have moved out of their homes and are living with relatives, he adds.

Khan released a list of 21 people at a media conference on September 4.

While he says the police picked up all the accused in the aftermath of the blasts, police officers say they were arrested on September 4 and 5.

The police say they arrested the 20 people based on the confessions of Abdul Sattar, who was arrested on June 15 in connection with the Mecca Masjid blasts.

Cases have been filed against all the arrested under Sections 120 (B), 125 and 126 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections pertain to anti-national activities. They have been charged with possessing video compact discs of the riots that followed the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition and the 2002 Gujarat riots.

"Some of the youngsters who we met in jail said the police were not asking them anything about the blasts. They have been picked at random just because they are from the minority community and to show some progress in the investigation. This is the method they use to suppress one community," Khan alleged.

"Some of the youngsters said they heard the noise of people marching. They also saw the tags GHS on some policemen who were present during interrogation. This indicates that they are using Greyhounds (the Andhra police's anti-Naxalite unit)," Khan said.

Asked why he could not give the names of the other youngsters detained, Khan said, "We are doing our best to reach the families and offer them our help. But we have heard of families that are not aware of any means to trace their sons. Even now, two families met me and said that their sons were missing. We are trying our best."

Also read: Hyderabad, a tale of two cities
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