10 October 2004	Sunday	24 Shaban 1425

PESHAWAR, Oct 9: An anti-terrorism court here on Saturday dismissed a bail application filed by a man suspected of having links with militants.

The court observed that the accused petitioner, Abdul Basit, was not entitled to be released on bail. The prosecution claimed that the accused was well-trained in making remote-controlled explosive devices.

The applicant's counsel contended that he had been falsely implicated in the case, adding that he did not have any link with militants.

He said that he was running a mobile phone repairing shop and did not have anything to do with explosives.

According to the Crimes Investigation Department, which had arrested the accused, the suspect was arrested on Aug 26 in a raid on his residence in the Sheikhabad area here.

Officials were searching for two women suicide bombers who had disappeared from Karachi and were suspected to be in Peshawar. However, the officials stated that the women suspects could not be traced.

Relatives of Abdul Basit have disputed the CID's claim and said that he was arrested from the Kochi Bazzar area on Aug 7 and not on Aug 26 and was not produced before the court concerned.