2002 Akshardham temple attack: Accused Mohammed Farooq Shaikh held by crime branch in Amhedabad airport

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Ahmedabad: Mohammed Farooq Shaikh, an accused in the 2002 Gandhinagar Akshardham temple attack, was on Monday arrested by Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here.

On November 3 last year, Abdul Rashid Ajmeri, the alleged prime conspirator of the terror attack, was arrested from Ahmedabad’s airport after his arrival from Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh. Ajmeri, an Ahmedabad resident, had allegedly planned the attack and was a facilitator for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the execution of the crime. He had fled to Riyadh before the attack was carried out.

The attack was perpetrated by two terrorists, with alleged links to LeT on September 24, 2002. At least 32 people were killed, while over 80 others were injured in the attack. The two terrorists were killed by the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos.

In May 2014, the Supreme Court had discharged all six convicts, who were arrested earlier, in the case. Three of the six convicts were facing death sentences.