Arshad
Shafique Ansari, Fahimida Sayyed, 37, and
her daughter Fareen Sayeed, 17, appeared in the Special Court in Bombay on Monday.
They were remanded in police custody until 15 September.
The other accused, Sayyed Muhammed Abd al-Rahim, 45, husband of
Fahimida Sayyed, did not appear in court as he was admitted to a
hospital, prosecutor Rohini Salian said
.
Bus bombing
The four were detained under
strict anti-terrorism laws that carry the death sentence
.
Prosecutors said the accused were also involved in the 28 July
bombing of a bus packed with commuters in Bombay
, which killed four people and
left 43 injured.
Police sources said the four had links with the
Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which was fighting to force the Indians to withdraw from Kashmir.
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|
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari
Vajpayee has defended the
controversial anti-terrorism law |
They added they had close ties with the
Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which
India banned last year after accusing it of fomenting
sectarian trouble
.
But the BBC reported Bombay residents as saying that they believed the arrested were locals with no ties to political groups.
Draconian law
Prosecutors said police seized 205 gelatine sticks, 20 detonators, 12
alarm clocks with timers, electric wires,
and firecrackers from the accused.
The four accused were charged under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).
The anti-terrorist law was
passed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2002 in the face of
nationwide political opposition.
Critics say it allows the government to hold suspects without charge for extended periods, and puts the burden of proof on the accused.