IB had warned of possible attacks in Mumbai

As the investigations into the serial blasts progress, it becomes clear that the police were caught napping despite warnings and alerts from the Intelligence Bureau over the past couple of months.

Intelligence Bureau intercepts suggested that the Indian Mujahideen has been making desperate attempts to strike back. First they made an attempt just before the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and then an attempt was made at Varanasi. The most recent one was at the Delhi high court. In all these cases the explosions were of low intensity. Barring the Varanasi blasts in all other incidents the detonators had malfunctioned, but on Tuesday they seem to have got it right.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has always been the target of the Indian Mujhahideen and there have been blasts every time there have been arrests. The most recent were two arrests of Indian Mujahideen cadres who were involved in the Gujarat blasts. Gauging by the mails that the IM had sent out in the past, the ATS has always been spoken about. The IB had warned that security should be at an unprecedented high following the arrest of any Indian Mujahideen cadre.

However, this does not appear to be an immediate retaliatory measure and the planning was on for a couple of months since the attacks were not hurriedly executed. It just appears that they have timed it to retaliate against the recent spate of arrests, IB sources add.

The IB does not rule out more such attacks and adds that the IM has been trying to re-group and hence will try to carrying out more brazen attacks.

There have been indications of a possible terror strike in the past couple of weeks strike and the police too had been warned about the same. Although routine checks and balances were in place, the police have been caught unawares by the entry and exit of certain fringe elements of the IM into the city, IB sources said.

The other targets that security agencies have been speaking about are Delhi and Bangalore. There is unprecedented security at the moment in these places and the entry and exit of all persons is being closely monitored.