London, March 3
A key 1993 Surat terror bombing suspect, hunted by the police worldwide for over 17 years, was arrested from a north England grocery store. A city court here will decide over his extradition to India.
49-year-old Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel, alias Tiger Hanif, was traced to the grocery store in Bolton by Scotland Yard and later arrested from a house in Astley Street in Halliwell on February 16, a spokesman of the Metropolitan Police said today.
Tiger Hanif has been remanded in custody and will appear at the City of Westminister Magistrate Court on March 25 where the Indian government’s application for his extradition will come up.
Hanif is wanted by the Indian authorities in connection with a terror bombings in Surat in Gujarat that killed an eight-year-old schoolgirl and left 12 others wounded.
After the terror attack, the police had issued a Red Corner notice for him through Interpol, which activated a worldwide hunt for the suspect.
The Met spokesman said: “Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel - also known as Tiger Hanif - was arrested on behalf of the Indian authorities under an extradition warrant alleging conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.”
Former Gujarat minister Mohammed Surti was sentenced to 20 years in 2008 for his involvement in the 1993 twin Surat bombings. The court had found Surti guilty, along with 11 others, in connection with the grenade blast near the Surat railway Station.
— PTI
