The alleged mastermind of the serial blasts in Ahmedabad Mufti Abul Bashir Ishlahi's father Abu Bakar says he was shocked to hear that his eldest son has been charged with terrorist activities. So were the villagers of Bina Para and community members of Saraimir in Azamgarh.

"Hang him if he is a terrorist and involved in anti-national activities but do not frame anyone just on the ground that he is a Muslim," said Bakar. "I have taught peace and love throughout my life, I condemn terrorism."

The villagers and family members are not ready to buy the claim of the Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Ahmedabad police that Bashir was involved in terrorist activity. "A youth who had never fought with anyone in the village cannot be a terrorist,"a villager said.

"Two men had called on Bashir on August 14 afternoon on the pretext of talking about his younger brother Mohd Zafar's marriage. As soon as he stepped out, four others waiting outside dragged him inside a car and sped away," Bakar said.

"The villagers faxed messages to the Chief Minister and the District Magistrate on the same night as they thought that some people had kidnapped him. Why did the ATS and the police say that they arrested him from Lucknow? The ATS team which raided my residence on Saturday did not find anything objectionable," the father said.

Bashir studied in Madarsatul Islah and later in Deoband in Saharanpur. "The record of Madarsatul Islah is that none of its disciples has so far been involved in any anti-terrorist activities," said Maulana Ashfaq Ahmad, the manager of the school.

His father said that he had gone to Hyderabad to teach in a madarsa owned by one Abdul Aleem Ishlahi, a resident of Bandighat Mohamadabad Gohana in Mau district, in January this year and had returned in June.

Former UP chief minister and senior Congress leader Ram Naresh Yadav visited Bashir's father and other villagers. He assured them that he would send his report to the party high command in this regard. The villagers shouted anti-government and anti-police slogans during Yadav's visit.

Meanwhile, clerics of the area including Mufti Asfaq, the head of Mohakma Saria and Mohd Shoyeb held a meeting and discussed the issue. They condemned any act of terrorism by anyone whether Hindu or Muslim. "The police and the Government should come out with evidence if Bashir was indeed involved in the serial blasts in Ahmedabad," Ashfaq said.