New delhi, Sept 9: Investigations into the Delhi High Court bomb blast have revealed that it was a module of seven to eight highly trained persons who carried out the blast. Forensic analysis suggest that the bomb was assembled about two hours before it was planted.
The timer used in the improvised explosive device (IED) was also prepared on the same day, reports The Pioneer.Agencies have found the wire used in the timer, and its examination indicate that the maker of the bomb knew his job well. Investigators say those behind the conspiracy have not left Delhi's adjoining areas.
There is a very strong possibility that they are part of a Delhi-based “sleeper cell” and were activated on Wednesday itself, police claimed.Chemicals used to assemble the IED too were freshly procured. Analyses of the skin of those died in the blast are also a case in point.
The residue of chemicals found in the bodies has forced investigators to re-strategise their line of investigation.The IED was a cocktail of highly lethal chemicals laced with explosives. Shrapnel were added to inflict maximum injury. The skin analyses of those killed in the blasts have also confirmed that RDX was not used.
Sources said, at least five members of the module were present near the Gate no-5 of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.While three stayed put in a getaway car, two went to plant the suitcase that contained the IED. They hurriedly planted the IED and left unchallenged by taking advantage of the commotion that ensued after the blast.
The line of investigation is centred on the module of Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) to whom the investigators believe carried out the blast with the active support of Indian Mujahideen (IM).
They said that the module is hyper active and very dedicated. In their bid to identify the perpetrators of the Wednesday blast, investigators have sent teams across six States and all the HuJI members lodged in various jails are being questioned.
Waliullah, the Pesh Imam of Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, a hardcore HuJI activist and prime accused in the Varanasi blast, is also being questioned. Waliullah is lodged in Lucknow jail.
Apart from the arrested HuJI members, there are over two dozen hardcore HuJI and Indian Mujahideen (IM) members who are wanted by security agencies and various State police forces.
Those wanted by law-enforcing agencies had been involved in various blasts between 2005 and 2008, and are supposed to be the key links of HuJI operations in the country. Investigators are also verifying the movements of Mirza Sadab Begh, Muhammad Sajid, Muhammad Saqib, Ariz Khan and a few others who were involved in bombing Delhi in 2008.They are all residents of Uttar Pradesh. Shahnawaz Alam, wanted by the Delhi Police for the 2005 Dhanteras eve serial blasts, is also being questioned.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry on Thursday issued at a statement ordering the Delhi Police to assist the NIA in the Delhi High Court blast case.
The order was passed under section 7 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which makes the order binding on the local police. Late on Wednesday night, the Joint Secretary, Union territories and the Ministry of Home Affairs, was specifically called and the notification was issued under directions from Home Minister P Chidambaram himself.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Home Ministry had announced that the NIA would take over the investigations into the Delhi HC blast. This would have given the police the chance to shrug off the responsibility.
The Home Ministry does not want a turf war to break out between the NIA and local police as it did in the case of the NIA and Mumbai police post the 26/11 blasts. They want to avoid a repeat of that scene and therefore issued the statement on Thursday.
