Date:16/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/16/stories/2008051657420100.htm

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SIT to probe Jaipur blasts

Sunny Sebastian

Three more sketches released; genuineness of e-mail doubted

Photo: PTI

TRAIL OF TERROR: Congress president Sonia Gandhi visits a blast site in Jaipur on Thursday. —

JAIPUR: Investigating agencies have expressed doubts about the genuineness of an e-mail and an attached video clip sent to the media on Wednesday by “Indian Mujahideen,” claiming responsibility for the Jaipur blasts on Tuesday in which 64 people have died.

On Thursday, the police here released three more sketches of suspects involved in the blasts continuing their hunt for the terrorists. One such sketch was released on Wednesday.

The Rajasthan government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the blasts. It also announced the formation of a Special Task Force to fight terror.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the video footage could be an attempt to mislead the probe. She said there were discrepancies in the way the bags containing bombs were placed on the cycles used in the blasts and the one shown on the video. The clip showed the frame number (129489) of a cycle parked near the Kotwali Police Station.

Ms. Raje said:

“We are making further investigations into the matter. I fear I cannot divulge much at this juncture of the probe. In fact, we are in the middle of a war.

“Today’s terrorists are not thieves or burglars; they are well connected and use most sophisticated communication systems. The whole operation was carried out with considerable skill, indicating that we are fighting a very formidable enemy.”

Superintendent of Police (North) and member of the SIT Raghavendra Suhasa told The Hindu that the new sketches were those of the persons belonging to the age group of 18 to 25. “They have different complexions.”

Though the blasts were similar to the ones that took place in Uttar Pradesh, it was too early to talk about the involvement of the Harkat-ul-Jihadi-e-Islam in the blasts, he said, adding that in all nine blasts took place and one bomb was defused.

Denying any arrest, he said: “Nobody has been arrested or detained so far.” He also refuted reports that a woman was questioned. “That is a rumour. No woman has been questioned.”

‘No breakthrough yet’

Vinay Kumar reports from New Delhi:

The Union Cabinet was briefed on the blasts by the National Security Adviser (NSA) M. K. Narayanan and Cabinet Secretary K. M. Chandrasekhar on Thursday.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters after the Cabinet meeting that the NSA and the Cabinet Secretary briefed them about the investigations. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Asked if any breakthrough was achieved, he said: “I don’t think we have reached a stage where we can say we have achieved a breakthrough.”

The Cabinet was also informed about the security and intelligence agencies’ efforts to see a definite pattern in the blasts with those that rocked Hyderabad and Lucknow in the recent past.

Asked about Ms. Raje’s observation that her State would not allow communal harmony to be jeopardised, he said the Centre and the State ad an equal responsibility to maintain law and order.