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The 2008 Delhi bombings were a series of five synchronized bomb blasts that took place within a span of few minutes on September 13, 2008 at various locations in Delhi, India. The first bomb exploded at 6:10 pm IST (1240 UTC), and four other blasts followed in succession, with at least 30 people killed and over 100 injured.

Background

Three bomb attacks had already occurred the same year in India. The first of these was on 13 May in Jaipur. The series of nine blasts over a span of 15 minutes claimed 63 lives, and injured 216. The second series of nine bomb blasts took place on 25 July in Bangalore, and claimed 2 lives, while injuring 20. The next day, on 26 July in Ahmedabad, a spurt of 21 blasts killed 56 people and injured over 200.

The Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the Jaipur bombings through an email sent to Indian media and declared "open war" against India in retaliation for what it said were 60 years of Muslim persecution and the country's support of United States' policies, most notably the war in Afghanistan. The Times of India has reported that either the banned organization Students Islamic Movement of India or the militant organization Lashkar-e-Toiba could be behind the blasts in Bangalore. Similar to the Jaipur case, after the Ahmedabad blasts, several TV channels reported that they received e-mails from the Indian Mujahideen claiming responsibility for the terror attacks.

Police say the Indian Mujahideen is an offshoot of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, but allege that local Muslims are given training and backing from militant groups in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Details

Five blasts took place within a span of 31 minutes from 18:07 to 18:38 IST (12:37 to 13:08 UTC) in busy markets or commercial localities. Four bombs were defused.

The first blast took place at 18:07 at Ghaffar market (a municipal market along a stretch of Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh) in which at least 20 people were injured. They were rushed to nearby RML hospital. The explosive was kept near a car, and resulted in a cylinder blast in an auto rickshaw, which was subsequently thrown up several feet into the air.

Immediately after, two explosions took place in Connaught Place in which at least 10 people were injured. Police and witnesses said that the bombs went off in dustbins in and around Connaught Place, a shopping and dining area popular with tourists and locals in the centre of the city. The first of these blasts occurred on Barakhamba Road, near Nirmal Tower and Gopal Das Bhavan at 18:34. A minute later, the second bomb exploded in the newly constructed Central Park in the centre of the Connaught Place roundabout, built above one of the main stations of the Delhi Metro. An eyewitness reportedly saw two men place the bomb in a dustbin at Central Park.

Subsequently, two explosions rocked M-Block market in Greater Kailash-I at 18:37 and 18:38 – the first near the popular Prince Paan Corner, and the other near a Levi's store. The latter damaged 10 shops.

Preliminary examination of the blast site said that low intensity ammonium nitrate tied to integrated circuits with timer devices had been used in almost all the serial blasts.

Four bombs were also defused - the first one at India Gate, the second outside Regal Cinema in Connaught Place, the third in Connaught Place, and the fourth on Parliament Street.

On the evening of 13 September 2008, IBN reported at least 30 deaths and over 100 injured. AFP reported that "Indian police (New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat) said Sunday that 20 people were killed and close to 100 injured."

Response

Police and security

Security was tightened across the national capital, with police personnel fanning out to railway and Metro stations, hospitals, bus terminals, the airport and other sensitive points like cinema halls, shopping malls and religious places. Barricades were put up on most city roads to check traffic. Several major markets, including the Sarojini Nagar market, which was targeted in the previous Diwali-eve blasts in 2005, were shut down and evacuated. Cyber-café owners were asked to keep a tab on customers.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) spokesperson state that "security has already been strengthened and frisking and checking of the commuters have been stepped up. The Metro is under constant vigil". He added that extra personnel had been pressed into service to keep an eye on commuters.

Press confusion

The confusion in the aftermath of the blasts was evident in the press reports immediately following. The general consensus was that the blasts had claimed 18 lives. However, there was some disparity, with CNN claiming as low as 15, to NDTV claiming as high as 30..

There was also some controversy over blast sites and the sites where bombs were defused, most notably that where Zee News reported a bomb being defused at Central Park, while the Outlook Magazine stated that the park was a bomb site.

Responsibility

The "Indian Mujahideen" sent an e-mail to all major TV channels, informing them of the blasts just after the first one occurred. In the case of the bomb blasts in Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, e-mails were sent before the blasts.

Indian Mujahideen strikes back once more. Within 5 minutes from now... This time with the Message of Death, dreadfully terrorising you for your sins. And thus our promise will be fulfilled. Inshallah...Do whatever you want and stop us if you can

The email was sent from Arbi Hindi (al_arbi_delhi@yahoo.com). The email threatened nine blasts. A 13-page attached document depicts photographs of the previous blasts under the caption "our jihad". The Delhi blasts are, according to the email, a direct reaction to the raids carried on and after the Ahmedabad blasts, and "harassments imposed by your (Indian) ATS and the police on the innocent Muslims". The document also mentions Amarnath dispute, violence against Christians in Orissa, Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat riots.

The email was traced to Chembur, an eastern suburb of Mumbai. Mumbai's anti-Terrorism squad (ATS) confirmed that WiFi of the owner firm "Kamran Power" was hacked and used for sending the mail.

Reports claim that the Indian Mujahideen called this operation "Operation B-A-D", encompassing the Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi Bombings. Intelligence officials had intercepted a call made "from the across the border" claiming "Operation BAD is successful", after the Ahmedabad blasts, which the Gujarat police that interpreted as Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, though the dates and specific places were not known.

Investigation

Two persons were detained from Connaught Place area soon after the blasts. Delhi Police said a 11 year old boy had claimed to have seen the terrorists; he informed the police that terrorists clad in black kurta-pyjama were seen placing bags in a dustbin. The Delhi Police soon, within three hours of the blast, arrested another person who the police suspect to be the mastermind of the blast.

Preliminary investigation by police reveal Indian Mujahideen-SIMI cell led by Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqir, having information technology background from Mumbai, to be involved. Another person named Qayamuddin is also under investigation. Four more people have also been detained and questioned.

In the morning of 19 September, the Delhi Police shoot down two terrorist hiding in L-18 block of Jamia Nagar, Delhi. Two terrorists were arrested while one managed to escape. Bashir alias Atif, believed to be the mastermind was one of the two killed. Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who was injured in the encounter, has died in a hospital. He was credited with helping to kill 35 terrorists, 85 arrests and also the winner of 75-odd encounters, 150 medals and seven gallantry awards.

See also

• List of terrorist incidents, 2008
• 23 November 2007 Uttar Pradesh serial blasts
• 13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings
• 2008 Bangalore serial blasts
• 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts

References

1. ^ "Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured". Times of India. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
2. "Delhi terror mail traced to Mumbai, death toll 22". Ibnlive.com. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
3. ^ in.ibtimes.com, New Delhi serial blasts death toll rises to 30; India on high alert
4. "World condemns blasts, promises support in fight against terror", The Economic Times, 15 May 2008.
5. 6 blasts rock Bangalore, two killed, 20 wounded
6. "Indian Mujahideen sends pre-blast video footage", India Today, 14 May 2008.
7. ^ "Officials: At least 14 dead in New Delhi blasts". CNN. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
8. "SIMI, LeT may be behind Bangalore blasts: IB". Times of India. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
9. "16 blasts in Ahmedabad; 49 dead, 145 injured". India Today Group. Living Media. 2008-07-27. Retrieved 2008-07-27. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
10. ^ "Five bombs explode in Indian capital". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
11. Where the terrorists struck in Delhi (Rediff, 14 September 2008)
12. HT
13. "Serial blasts rock Delhi" - Indiatimes Broadband
14. ^ "Serial blasts in Delhi" - Outlook India
15. ^ "Serial blasts in Delhi; 18 dead, 100 injured" - ZEE News
16. afp.google.com/article, 20 killed, 98 injured in Delhi bomb attacks
17. "30 killed, 90 injured in 5 blasts across Delhi". NDTV. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
18. ^ "There will be more bomb attacks, warns Indian Mujahideen". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
19. Economic Times: WiFi was hacked again to send Delhi terror mail: Mumbai ATS
20. "Indian Mujahideen accomplishes Operation B-A-D". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
21. "Mumbai techie chief suspect: Agencies". Times of India. 14 Sep 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
22. "Cops look for faces of terror - Two detained". Ibnlive.com. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
23. "Saif, Zeeshan sent to 14-day police custody". NDTV. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
24. "Braveheart Inspector's death a huge loss". NDTV. Retrieved 2008-09-20.

• Terrorist incidents in 2008
• Terrorism in India
• Delhi
• 2008 in India
• Terrorism in India since 2001