Delhi HC blast: Did fringe elements carry out the attack?

Even as the Home Ministry appears positive, regarding the cracking of the September 7 Delhi blast case, investigations so far have been giving out hazy details regarding the plot.

The National Investigating Agency which is working alongside the Intelligence Bureau and also a host of other investigating agencies has found that a group of 10 men carried out the blasts at Delhi.

These youths, who then escaped into the Jammu and Kashmir region are from West Bengal and J&K, investigations have revealed so far.

Investigations have revealed that in all the four emails that were received, the one that was sent out of J&K in the name of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami appears to have some connection with the blast.

The rest of them have been found to be fake after several rounds of investigation. While these hazy details emerge, the investigating agency has not been able to pin point as yet to which organisation or outfit these boys belonged to.

It is now being ascertained whether any of these boys had left Delhi before the blasts and planned out the attack in the Valley along with the rest of the youth.

"For now, it does not appear that it was the HuJI which solely masterminded these blasts," said an investigator.

"These boys could have used that name in order to send across a strong message. The fact that these boys were from the Valley and West Bengal which are strongholds of the HuJI is not a good enough ground to say that they are part of that outfit," he added.

"These boys could also belong to Indian Mujahideen and may have fled Delhi and planned the blast outside. They could have intentionally concealed the name of the organisation in order to avoid any heat," he said.

The source however adds that while looking at the forensic reports and the material used in the blast, it becomes clear that such material can be sourced easily only in the Valley.

Investigations are focused in the Kishtwar area where the entire saga has emerged according to the NIA. The email has drawn the NIA to this place, and it has been found that the same was sent out by two youth from a Cyber café.

The youth who are in custody are still being interrogated for further leads. Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the two boys were instructed to send out the email by someone. "Further grilling with give a better picture," added the NIA source.

The NIA is also studying the motive behind the attack. "This is a pattern ever since the days of the December 7, 2010 Varanasi blast, where fringe elements had joined hands and carried out the attack in the name of some other outfit.

NIA sources say that this new phenomenon of terror is what makes the case tougher to crack. However, they are in touch with the police in all Students Islamic Movement of India/IM dominated states to dish out further details regarding activities of the members, especially those who have gone off the radar ever since the blast.