Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (SP)

Bhatkal, Feb 5: The Bengaluru police produced Saddam Hussain hailing from Jali near here, who was arrested from the town on January 8, 2015 for his suspected participation in terrorist activities, in the court on Thursday February 4 on the basis of a warrant issued by the court here.

Nine persons had been named as accused in an incident of attack on Shakil Mulla and Nadeem Mulla here in 2014. Saddam was one of the accused in this case.

On this occasion, police security was provided around the houses of Shakil Mulla and Nadeem Mulla. Policemen had begun to guard the court since Thursday morning. Saddam was brought in a van to the court at around 11 am and produced before judge, Hanumantrao Kulkarni. The judge, after conducting hearing, adjourned the case. It is learnt that henceforth, hearing in the case would be conducted at the district court at Karwar.

Saddam from Jali was a scrap merchant by profession. National Investigation Agency team from Bengaluru had arrested him, after terming him a suspected terrorist. During the raid on a house at Tenginagundi Road here relating to church street bomb blast case of Bengaluru, the agency sleuths had stumbled upon some items used for manufacturing bombs. The team, which centred its investigation around a phone call received from the town, zeroed in on Dr Afaque, Muhammed Sabood, and Saddam Hussain, and arrested them. Two others,,who are also named in the case, are absconding.

When Saddam was being produced in court, his relatives were waiting to meet him, but the police refused permission. Saddam also appealed to police to give him 15 minutes time to speak to close ones. His father, Firoz Khan, said that his family earns a living by working on daily wage basis, and along with wife, daughters and mother, expressed resentment at the rigid stance taken by police.