Arrested Maulana innocent, claim followers

People who knew Maulana Anzar Shah, a madrasa teacher apprhended by Delhi Police for suspected links with the al-Qaeda, today said they are surprised over his arrest and claimed he is innocent. One of his students said he was taken by a group ofmen on Wednesday who claimed to be from Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Delhi.
Calling him as a good preacher, a person who knewhim, on condition of anonymity, said he was good in hispreaching. He said "I really don't know why they took him.I think he has wrongly been picked up."
Some regular visitors to the local mosque with which Qasmi was linked told TV channels that he is "innocent" and hoped he would come out unscathed.

However, another person claimed Shah, aged about 50 and a resident of Iliyasnagar in Banashankari 2nd stage here, was allegedly asked to leave the mosque where he was employed earlier for making hate speeches.
The Maulana, who studied at Darul Uloom, Deoband, UP, was reportedly under the surveillance of intelligence agencies for his "fiery speeches.