Church blasts: 11 get death sentence

Capital punishment was awarded to 11 and life sentence to 12 others by a local court on Saturday, in connection with the 2000 serial blasts in Churches across Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.

The convicts who belonged to the Deendar Channbasaveshwara Anjuman sect, was convicted by the sessions court judge S M Shivanagoudar.

The accused had triggered six blasts in Andhra Pradesh, one each in Maharashtra, Goa and four in Karnataka. They were made to believe that blasts at churches in India would spark a civil war between Hindus and Christians. Consequently, a religious leader from Afghanistan would invade and conquer India, which would be converted into an Islamic nation.

Five of the accused are currently in Pakistan and three others died while transporting the explosives. The court had ordered shoot at sight against the seven who are absconding.

Founded by Hazrat Moulana Siddique in 1920, the outfit hatched the conspiracy in Hyderabad in 1999.

A three-member Corps of Detectives team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police V S D'Souza investigated the church blasts at Wadi (Gulbarga District), Hubli, Bangalore and another blast in the state and filed a chargesheet before the special court.

Those who were awarded capital punishment are: Mohmad Ibrahim (40), Bangalore; Shaikh Hasham Ali (30), Hyderabad; Hasnuzama (55), Nuzvid, AP; Abdul Rehman Saith (50), Chikkaballapur; Amanath Hussain Mulla (58), Bangalore; Mohammed Sharfuddin (37), Hyderabad; Sayed Muneeruddin Mulla (40) -- Hubli; Mohd Akhil Ahmed (29), Hyderabad; Ijahar Baigh (32), Hyderabad; Sayed Abbas Ali (28), Hyderabad; Mohmad Khalid Choudhary (32), Hyderabad.