Ansari, 6 others convicted in American Centre case

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 (Kolkata): Dubai-based mafia don Aftab Ansari, who masterminded the attack on Kolkata's American Centre in January 2002, was convicted today. He, along with six others, has been found guilty of conspiracy to wage a war against the nation and the murder of five policemen.

A court convicted Indian gangster Aftab Ansari (centre) of masterminding a 2002 attack on a US cultural center in the eastern city of Calcutta which left five policemen dead.(AFP/File)

American Center attack: Accused Aftab Ansari found guilty

Last Updated: April 26, 2005 11:52 IST

A Kolkata court on Tuesday found Dubai-based don Aftab Ansari guilty in the 2002 American Centre attack case.

Dubai-based don Aftab Ansari, the main accused, was convicted for murder, conspiracy and waging war against the country.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Basudev Mazumdar ordered the release of two other accused in the case.

Accused Jamiluddin Nasser, Rehan Alam, Adil Hasan, Musharat Hussain, Hasrat Alam and Shakir Aktar were also convicted.

Six other accused are absconding.

Dilip Patel and Shakil Mallick were found not gulity and were directed to be released.

The quantum of sentence will be delivered by the judge tomorrow.

Aftab and 12 others were charge sheeted in the terrorist attack on April 26, 2002.

Some 123 witnesses were examined during the trial.

On January 22, 2002 motorbike-borne militants fired on the pavement outside the American Center killing five policemen. No US national was injured in the attack.

Policemen stand guard at the main entrance to the Presidency Jail in Calcutta, India, Tuesday April 26, 2005. A trial conducted inside the jail premises for security reasons convicted seven people, including Dubai-based crime leader Aftab Ansari, in a shooting outside the American Center in Calcutta three years ago that killed five police officers. The court declared them guilty on Tuesday although the sentences were to be announced on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

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