Oman national gets 5 yrs for hiding explosives in shoes

Mumbai: An Oman national, who was intercepted at the Sahar airport last year for carrying explosive substances inside the heels of two pairs of shoes, was convicted by a sessions court to five years' rigorous imprisonment on Wednesday. The court also levied a fine of Rs 1,000 on the accused Ali Hadi Badar Nassar Mohammad (29).
According to the prosecution, Mohammad was to board a flight (WI 808) to Muscat on July 23, 2008, when officers at the baggage screening counter detected firecrackers in his luggage. The crackers were placed in a polythene bag. Air India security staff, who were screening the baggage, removed the polythene bag as it is illegal to carry explosive substances in an aircraft. However, an officer realised that the scanner detected more explosive substances than were found. He immediately informed the Sahar police who searched Mohammad's baggage thoroughly. They came across four shoes with unusually large heels. They were broken open to reveal 68 explosive substances including two sound crackers, small silver foil-coated bombs, anar and sutli bombs (firecrackers). Mohammad was booked under the provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and the Aircraft Act.
During interrogation, Mohammad told the police that he had first visited India in 1992. In 2000, he went to Thailand. Then, he came back to India in 2003 and again in 2006. In 2008, he travelled to five Indian cities in a span of 21 days. The officials found his movements suspicious. On July 22, he picked up a consignment of explosive substances from a person in Mumbai.
Mohammad told the police that two men in Muscat had asked him to bring the consignment. He added that he had travelled to different Indian cities for medical treatment but the police could not find any hospital records.
Mohammad's counsel, Majeed Memon, said his client had a mental ailment and they would appeal in the HC.
10/04/09 Nitasha Natu/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2009, Foreign Apr 2009, Safety Apr 2009