Mastermind of 1995 Jammu serial blast arrested

Jammu, Jan 16 (PTI) Top Hizbul militant Waseem Ahmed
Malik, accused of masterminding the 1995 Republic Day blast
in the northern state of India here claiming 12 lives, has
been arrested from Kishtwar district.

Malik, then a self-styled Hizbul district commander,
masterminded the blasts along with some other Pakistani
militants led by one commander Ifran, in which 60 others were
injured and the then Governor Gen K V Krishna Rao had a narrow
escape.

He was arrested in connection with his involvement in
the explosions at MAM stadium, Deputy Inspector General,
Doda-Ramba-Kishtwar range, Himant Lohia told PTI. He was
picked up from Kishtwar town Thursday night.

Soon after the blasts, Malik crossed over to Pakistan
and stayed their for ten year and returned to Jammu and
Kashmir in 2005.

Malik also called Abdu Hamza was appointed by Hizb
chief Syed Salahuddin as deputy divisional commander and was
operating in Chenab belt in Doda-Ramban-Gool of Jammu region
and south Kashmir, police sources said.

Malik was arrested by Rashtriya Rifles and Special
Operation Group of the army in January 25, 2006 from south
Kashmir and after spending a year in jail he was bailed out in
October 2007.

The miliant, a resident of Asthan Mohalla area in
Kishtwar district was inducted into Hizb in 1994 and later
crossed over to Pakistan the same year, where he received arms
training for four months at Jungal Mangal camp near Attock in
PoK, the sources said.
According to Malik, the then president Gen Pervez
Musharraf had visited their militant camp in 1998 in Mian Wali
in PoK ahead of the Kargil conflict. PTI