Jundal first of 50 fugitives to be held

MUMBAI: Zabihuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal becomes the first on India's list of 50 most wanted terrorists to be brought back. The Pakistani handlers of 26/11, also on the list, are still beyond India's reach.
The list mentioned 26/11 planners Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Haafiz Saeed, two serving Pakistan army officers - Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali - besides Syed Abdur Rehman alias Pasha, a former major with Pakistan's 6 Baloch Regiment and HuJI chief Ilyas Kashmiri, who has since died.
Mumbai-born don Dawood Ibrahim topped the list which was handed over by India to Pakistan in May 2011. "Abu Jundal, during interrogation in Delhi, has confessed that he met Lakhvi and Saeed," said sources.
Jundal is the first on the list to be brought back to India. However, Pakistan has denied sheltering any terrorists. "Pakistan was denying Zabihuddin's presence on its soil. However, Jundal's dossier and information from his interrogation will definitely be sent to Pakistan through diplomatic channels and India will again demand the custody of its criminals from Pakistan. It's high time Pakistan deports these terrorists and gangsters to India," said a senior police official. "To get the custody of one most wanted terrorist, Indian agencies had to struggle for years. We have been giving evidence of the presence of the others there, but Pakistan is not ready to admit it," said the official. He added that pressure is again mounting on Pakistan and this time it may take some step to hand over some accused or at least kick them out from its soil.
The list contains names of Amir Raza, an Indian Mujahideen founder, suspected to have been involved in the Gujarat bomb blasts. Recent intelligence reports suggested the presence of senior IM functionaries Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal in Pakistan. "Jundal also met the two brothers in Pakistan. Now Jundal has revealed many things and added much more dope to what the police knew," said a senior official.
The most wanted list also mentioned names like Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim, his trusted lieutenant Aftab Bhatki, 1993 blasts accused Tiger Memon and Ayub Memon, besides Ahmed Mohammed Dossa, Riyaz Khatri and Azam Cheema (an accused in the 11/7 Mumbai train blasts).
Pakistan had, under intense international pressure, arrested and charged five men, including LeT's operations chief Lakhvi who was one of the chief architects of 26/11. Hammad Amin Sadiq, who facilitated funds for terrorists, Mazhar Iqbal alias Abu Qama, a handler and Abdul Wajid alias Zarrar Shah, a facilitator, and Shahid Jamil Riaz, a crew member of Al-Hussain are still wanted for the Mumbai terror attacks of 26/11.