Fears of a new terror module

Police officers in Mumbai said they were hoping that their first breakthrough would come from the enormous amounts of forensic evidence and CCTV images from the blast sites. While forensic experts initially found that the bombs had used ammonium nitrate and timer devices,a preliminary analysis of samples recovered from the sites suggests that a cocktail of Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil (ANFO) was used.

Similar fertiliser bombs built with ANFO were used in previous blasts such as the July 26,2008,Ahmedabad blasts. In the 7/11 serial train blasts in Mumbai,ANFO was mixed with RDX. Sources said that forensic teams have recovered cotton swabs from the Zaveri Bazaar blast site with oil stains,along with some remnants of the scooter on which the bomb was placed.

“Usually ammonium nitrate requires a catalyst such as fuel oil or sugar to increase the intensity of the explosion. Samples of fuel oil have been recovered from the sites. In a post-explosion site,it is extremely rare to come across remnants of the detonators used. In this case though,initial analysis suggests that mechanical detonators were used along with regular clock-device timers,” said a source involved in the probe.

The IM link has also been suspected because the targeted areas are predominantly Gujarati,the sources said,adding that there was cause for worry as this new module seemed to have attained a basic level of technical skill to carry out such explosions.

The fear,the sources said,is that emboldened by the impact of the latest Mumbai blasts,the module could venture to launch more attacks at regular intervals like in 2007 and 2008.

This would mean that the period of relative lull since 26/11 could,in fact,come to an end.

This fact was even highlighted at the Prime Minister’s review of the security situation today with emphasis being laid on maintaining the state of heightened security alert.

A set of incidents starting with the German Bakery blast last year in Pune,the explosion at the Dasasvamedh ghat in Varanasi,interspersed with small incidents like the explosion at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and the recent low intensity explosion near the Delhi High Court,are being looked afresh.

Some security sources feel that notwithstanding the Pune blast,the others seem to have been attempts by a new module to perfect its skills.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Rakesh Maria said his team of investigators had a job on their hands as they had to pore through hours of CCTV images at the blast sites in search of leads.

“We have recovered CCTV footage from all three blast sites,and teams from the ATS and the Crime Branch have been going through it all night. However,since there are multiple cameras and there is a large volume of footage captured,the analysis will take some time,” he said.

“Because of the rain,it will take longer for the forensic experts to provide details about the other aspects of the explosive devices used. We will have to wait a bit longer. Prima facie it also seems that timer devices were used. Samples have been taken from the spots where there is a large volume of debris,and sifting is going on. It is too early to say whether the bombs were placed in containers or boxes,” said Maria.

Police teams have also been noting statements of injured witnesses to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the blasts at the locations. “We are trying to get the picture of what exactly happened,but this is a long drawn process,” said Maria.

Officers also revealed that massive combing operations were conducted through the night in areas from which previous blast suspects have been picked up,such as Mira Road,Govandi,Kurla,Cheetah Camp,Malwani or Bhiwandi. Similar operations were also being conducted in Pune,where an IM base had been busted previously in the Kondhwa area,they said.