Major terror attacks in India

November 26, 2008: At least 101 killed, hundreds injured in a series of synchronised attacks in Mumbai around midnight on Wednesday. Three top Mumbai Police officials also killed in encounter.

September 13, 2008: At least 15 killed and over 110 injured in five blasts across New Delhi.

July 26, 2008: 29 killed and over 100 injured in 17 serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad. Read story: The nation that failed

July 25, 2008: At least two killed and 20 injured in eight low-intensity blasts in Bangalore.

May 13, 2008: At least 63 were killed in nine bomb blasts in Jaipur. Read story: Why and who did it?

August 25, 2007: At least 42 people were killed in two blasts in Hyderabad’s Lumbini park and a restaurant.

May 18, 2007: At least 13 were killed in the bombing at Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad, which took place during Friday prayers.

September 8, 2006: Over 37 killed and 125 injured in a series of bomb blasts in the vicinity of a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra.

July 11, 2006: Over 200 killed in a series of seven blasts in Mumbai local trains.

March 7, 2006: At least 21 killed in three attacks in Varanasi in Shri Sankatmochan Mandir and Cantonment Railway Station.

October 29, 2005: Three powerful serial blasts in New Delhi just two days before Diwali. About 70 people died.

August 15, 2004: 16 killed in explodes in Assam. Most of them were schoolchildren.

August 25, 2003: Simultaneous car bombs in Mumbai kill 52

May 14, 2003: Terrorists attack an army camp near Jammu, killing more than 30, including women and children.

March 13, 2003: A bomb attack on a train in Mumbai kills 11.

September 24, 2002: Terrorists attack the Akshardham temple in Gujarat. 31 dead.

December 13, 2001: Terrorists attack parliament complex in New Delhi killing seven.

October 1, 2001: Attack on J&K assembly complex kills around 35.

February 14, 1998: Blasts in Coimbatore kill 46.

March 12, 1993: 257 die in Mumbai serial blasts.

 

80 kg RDX used in Guwahati blasts

Nearly 80 kg of deadly Research Development Explosive was used in the October 30 serial blasts in Guwahati alone, officials said on Monday as investigators worked on sketches of the suspects.

Forensic officials claimed that nearly 80 kg of RDX was used in the three Maruti cars planted at the three blast sites in Guwahati. The blasts that took place in several parts of the state claimed over 80 lives.

“Such large quantity of RDX were never used to carry out explosions in Assam before as Ammonium Nitrate, with
plasticers as propellants and Programmable Time Devices were usually used to carry out a blast,” said Padmapani, the Joint Director in the Forensic Science Laboratory in Guwahati.

Each of the cars was laden with 25 to 30 kgs of RDX to carry out the blasts and a total of 75 to 80 kgs was used to cause maximum damage, he said.

How can the 80 Kg of RDX be transported to the blast site without the knowledge of BSF, who is guarding India Bangladesh border ? Is our border so porous ? The Congress Govt in Centre and in Assam is turning a blind eye to illegal Bangladeshis. It is not long before Assam becomes a part of Bangladesh at this rate. Already Harkat Ul Jehadi Islami is wanting merger of lower Assam with Bangladesh. All our politicians are cowards, who talk big , but are not proactive on national security.

Twelve alleged members of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, arrested in connection with bomb blasts across the country since 2005, have been remanded to judicial custody till November 17 by a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court in Mumbai.

 

India explosions death toll rises

India explosions death toll rises

The hospitals in the main city are flooded with survivors of the blast

The death toll in a series of bomb explosions in India’s north-eastern state of Assam has risen to over 70, the state’s health minister says. Himanta Biswa Sarma said 10 people who were injured in Thursday’s blasts died in hospitals during the night. Indian PM Manmohan Singh, who represents Assam in the upper house of parliament, is due in the state. More than 300 others were injured in at least 18 blasts, the majority of them in the state capital, Guwahati. The separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) has denied any role in the blasts, blaming Indian “occupation forces” for engineering them. But a statement issued by self-styled “lieutenant” Anjan Borthakur on behalf of Ulfa’s “Military Council” said Ulfa had been blamed as part of a “disinformation campaign”. Security forces have been fighting separatist rebels in Assam for decades. ‘Desperate for survival’ Security analysts say that the group has been blamed for engineering similar serial blasts in Assam in the past. Analyst Jaideep Saikia told the BBC that Ulfa has been behind 11 in Assam since 2002 with between 10 and 40 people killed in each explosion. (Most of Non Assames but now they killed assamese) Biharies are always on target of ULFA and general people support ULFA in Assam. For the past 10 years, the group has been blamed for bombings targeting gas and oil pipelines, oil depots and areas populated by migrant workers.

Assam violence Q&A

Assam police intelligence chief Khagen Sharma told the BBC that the latest bombings proved that Ulfa was “desperate for survival and does not mind killing even local people indiscriminately”. The group began an armed rebellion against what it describes as colonial rule by Delhi in 1979. Thousands of people have died in the violence. An effort to start peace talks between the rebels and the Indian government broke down in 2006. The rebels are seeking a separate homeland for the Assamese people and demanding that non-indigenous people, particularly Hindi and Bengali speakers, leave Assam. Separately, seven policemen and a surrendered insurgent were killed in an ambush by a group called Black Widow in the state’s North Cachar Hill district late on Thursday, police said. The breakaway tribal rebel group, who have regularly attacked security forces and expatriate workers, is fighting for an independent homeland for the Dimasa tribe. Thursday’s explosions in Guwahati and the towns of Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon occurred within an hour of each other, after 1100 local time (0530 GMT). There have been a number of major bomb attacks in India in the past few months, many of them blamed on local Islamist groups. But local separatists have been held responsible for recent explosions in north-eastern cities. Two north-eastern state capitals – Agartala in Tripura and Imphal in Manipur – saw serial explosions this month. At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the blasts.

 

Curfew imposed in Guwahati

Curfew has been clamped in some areas of Guwahati after angry mobs took to the streets and attacked fire-tenders, official sources said.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been promulgated across Guwahati following the blasts which the police suspect to be the handiwork of the banned ULFA and HUJI extremists, they said.

The injured were admitted to the Gauhati Medical College hospital where blast victims from other districts were
also arriving for treatment.

Three blasts each took place in Barpeta and Kokrajhar districts and one in Bongaigaon district, the sources said.

The first blast in Guwahati occurred at a vegetable and caused a major fire in the area leaving several people dead and scores injured.

An oil tanker there caught fire following the explosion, the sources said.

 

Death tolls 60

he death toll in the serial blasts that rocked Guwahati and upper Assam in the morning, reached 50 with more injured succumbing to the injuries in the hospitals. People, who browsed for ‘NE News’ or ‘Assam News’ in the morning, got a rude shocker, as terrorists carried out 11 blasts in Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Barpeta. In Guwahati, Dispur Road, Pan Bazar, Fancy Bazar and Ganeshguri Flyover have been targeted.

The impact of the serial blasts was so high that people and vehicles both charred beyond recognition. The dead bodies were seen lying here and there. Over 200 people were injured in the blasts. They are being treated in various hospital. Forensic experts believed that IDE and RDX of high intensity were used to trigger the blasts. The blasts were carried out in a planned manner and Assam government failed to prevent the blasts even though it was repeatedly warned by the Centre.

Although ULFA’s involvement in the serial blasts in Assam is suspected, the intelligence sources believe that Bangladesh-based HuJI could be behind the blasts. The recent communal clashes between local Assamese and Bangladeshis are being attributed to the serial blasts in Assam. Some Islamic terrorist organizations may have carried out the blasts to seek revenge. However, nothing can be said at the moment, as the investigation is still going on. The recent Assam blasts shook the nation, which just celebrated Diwali two days ago.

As expected, Union Home Ministry, Prime Minister and many other leaders have condemned the serial bomb blasts in Assam. Union MoS for Home Shakeel Ahmed tried to take a swipe on BJP and other Sangh Parivar groups even though he was asked about Assam bomb blasts. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi looked lost to find words, while the AGP demanded the immediate resignation of the government.

The BJP, which has been gunning for the head of the UPA government on the issue of terrorism, is on a defensive after the Mumbai ATS proved the Saffron angle to Malegaon blasts. The blame game, which began a few months ago, is not on its peak and no political party is trying to address the real issue. They are just worried about their vote banks. In such a situation, it won’t be surprising, if we witness more terror attacks in the country over the next few months.

 

Mumbai Police nab Asgar

The Mumbai police on Monday claimed to have cracked terror e-mail case with the arrest of an alleged Wi-Fi hacker. The hacker, said to be Mohd Mansoor Asgar, was working with a top multinational company and was drawing a salary of Rs 19 lakh per year. Hailing from a highly educated family, Asgar, the police said, was the key person behind all the terror mails sent moments before the blasts.

The Mumbai Police held a press conference this evening to announce that they have busted the media wing of Indian Mujahideen, which used to send emails before the serial bomb blasts. At least 20 people have been arrested in connection with this. The accused were arrested from Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Azamgarh and Gujarat. According to Mumbai Police, the arrested people were trained by Abdul Subhan Qureshi. They all are highly educated and worked in big corporate companies. One of the arrested, Mohd. Asgar is earning Rs. 19 lakh per annum in a MNC. The police recovered 5 laptops and CPUs from these suspects. The police admitted family members of these suspects did not know anything about their activities. The arrested Indian Mujahideen members were planning blasts during Navratri celebrations. The Mumbai Police is now probing the money flow via hawala and more arrests are likely to be taken place over the next few days.

 

Todays Top news

WWE No Mercy Results – October 5, 2008 The 11th WWE No Mercy was held on October 5, 2008 at the Rose Garden in Portland (Oregon). The WWE No Mercy saw some nail biting finish and complete excitement. Here are the final results of WWE No Mercy 2008: ECW Championship: Matt Hardy beat Mark Henry by pin Women’s Championship: Beth Phoenix (with Santino Marella) beat Candice Michelle (with Santino Marella) by pin Rey Mysterio beat Kane by DQ Contender for World Heavyweight Title: Batista beat JBL by pin Contender for World Heavyweight Title: Big Show beat The Undertaker by KO/Referee Stoppage WWE Championship: Triple H beat Jeff Hardy by countering a pinfall attempt World Heavyweight Championship: Ladder Match – Chris Jericho (with Lance Cade) beat Shawn Michaels

5 killed, 80 injured in Communal Violence in Dhule, Maharashtra At least 5 people were killed and 80 others injured in violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Dhule in Maharashtra. The injured included 8 policemen and additional collector M Y Patel. The rioters burnt several houses, damaged hundreds of vehicles and looted shops. The communal clashes took place in Azad Nagar, Moglai, Gurudwara, Bhangar Bazar and Ekveera Devi Chowk in Dhule town. Curfew has been imposed in Dhule following the communal violence. Security forces have been put on high alert. The injured have been rushed to hospital to Dhule Civil Hospital. The trouble started when Muslims torn off banners of Hindu Rajashan Samiti that appealed people to attend a public meeting in Dhule.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari: J&K Terrorists are no Freedom Fighters In a clear deviation from the official line taken by Pakistani leaders since the partition, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari said that militants in Jammu & Kashmir are no freedom fighters, but they are just terrorists. Asif Ali Zardari’s statement has surprised all both in India and Pakistan. Zardari also said that India has never been a threat to Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif’s PML(N) has strongly objected to Zardari’s statement and decided to take up this issue in the Parliament. There is an outrage in Pakistan over Zardari’s remarks against J&K militants. Both Congress and BJP have welcomed Zardari’s statement and saw it as a positive development towards improvement of relations between both countries. However, the communal People’s Democratic Party (PDP), an UPA ally, termed Zardari’s statement as unfortunate. PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti criticized Zardari and said that protesters in Kashmir cannot be termed as terrorists. If we read between the lines, she defended terrorists and terrorism.

Fight for Nano Project: Battle hots up between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Sunday has been hectic for Nano officials, as they visited both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to make a survey of sites available for the possible shifting of Nano Car project, which was pulled out of Singur, West Bengal. Both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments have made a strong bid to welcome Nano project in their respective states. The Nano officials from Tata Motors held talks with the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments on Sunday. Another state Gujarat has become a strong contender to bag Tata’s dream Nano car project. If there is someone who can easily overcome any challenges to make an industrial project possible in his state, it is none other than Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. His political and social clout in Gujarat may impress Ratan Tata to move his Nano project to Bhuj, Gujarat. According to sources, Tata officials will soon meet Gujarat government officials to discuss the matter. Other states such as Maharashtra, Haryana and Orissa also invited Tatas to shift their Nano project to their states. But the main battle is between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Let’s wait and watch for the winner of this hot game. Whoever wins at last, the loser is West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, whose investor-friendly image has taken a huge beating.

Curfew imposed in Srinagar, “Greater Kashmir” suspends publication from Sunday Kashmir is on boil again. Indefinite curfew has been imposed in all 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley to prevent people from taking out the march from Lal Chowk to LoC tomorrow. The separatist Coordination Committee (CC) has asked the people to reach Lal Chowk on October 6. Several separatist leaders including Jaffar Akbar Bhatt, Sajad Lone and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have been put under house arrest. Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir’s leading newspaper “Greater Kashmir” has suspended its publications from Sunday following the denial of curfew passes. Another local TV channel has been taken off air by the government for allegedly showing hatred and divisive content.

Lakshmi Mittal loses £16.6 billion in Global Meltdown The global meltdown, which caused widespread crisis in many bigger firms across the world, has affected Steel Baron Lakshmi N Mittal too. According to media reports, Lakshmi Mittal has lost 16.6 billion pounds in the global credit crunch that crashed major stock markets in the world in the last few months. Another NRI businessman Anil Agarwal, also lost 2.7 billion pounds. Lakshmi Mittal was considered as the richest person in Britain before the global credit crunch happened. His stakes fell from 33.24 billion pounds to 16.63 billion pounds during this weekend. The report was published on Sunday Times.

Chamunda Devi Stampede Death Toll reaches 215 The Rajasthan government has put the death toll in the Chamunda Devi temple stampede at 215. The government has also announced a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the families of each dead. In addition, children who have lost their fathers will receive a payment of Rs. 4000 per month till adulthood. Children, who have lost only their mothers, will receive Rs. 1500 per month till their adulthood. Parents of the deceased will get Rs. 2000 per month. According to the Rajasthan government, families of victims and injured will get the benefits of health insurance, self-employment schemes and training facilities.

Communal Violence in Assam: 29 kiled, 70 injured With the death of four people in police firing on Sunday, the death toll in the communal violence in Assam reached 29. At least 70 people are reportedly injured in the clashes between tribal Assamese people and migrant Bangladeshis in the last couple of days. Shoot-at-sight order has been issued in Central Assam, as the violence spread to other parts of the state. Over 250 houses were burnt in Assam since the communal violence broke out. Udalguri was the worst-affected district. According to media reports, Pakistani flags were hoisted by the Bangaldeshi migrants in the trouble-torn areas of Assam. The violence was started by Bangaldeshi migrants, when they attacked local Bodos. The Bodos supported by other local communities retaliated, which triggered a widespread conflict between the two communities. Over 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to contain the violence. Curfew has been imposed in the troubled areas. The Union Home Ministry, which talked about the imposition of President’s Rule in Orissa over communal violence in Kandhamal, remains silent over Assam violence since the state is ruled by Congress.

’93 Surat Blasts: Former Gujarat Minister Mohammad Surti sentenced to 20 years Former Congress Minister from Gujarat Mohammad Surti and four other accused were sentenced to 20 years in prison in the 1993 Surat blasts case. Seven other accused were handed over a 10-year jail term. Mohammad Surti and other accused were convicted in the twin blasts in Surat, which killed a teenager girl and injured 31 in 1993. The blasts were conducted in retaliation to Babri demolition in 1992. The blasts had taken place in January 1993 in Varachha area and on the platform number one of Surat railway station during the communal riots. Mohammad Surti was a former minister of state for Fisheries. All accused belonged to minority community. The TADA court also slapped a fine of Rs. 5 lakh on Surti and other four other accused. One accused was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Eight accused are still absconding.

Rice meets Pranab, 123 Agreement to be signed later US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrived in India this morning, met India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi. Both leaders later addressed a joint press conference and said that India and the US will soon sign the 123 Agreement to operationalise the civilian nuclear deal. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said once the US President George Bush signs the bill, the process will be be complete and India will be in a position to sign the 123 Agreement. Condoleezza Rich gave a diplomatic statement – “There are no open issues left in the 123 Agreement”.

 

Deadly bomb blasts hit Istanbul

Deadly bomb blasts hit Istanbul

At least 16 people have been killed and 154 wounded in two explosions in the Turkish city of Istanbul, in what officials say was a terrorist attack. The first blast occurred in a rubbish bin in the busy Gungoren residential area. The second, larger explosion occurred as crowds gathered. No group has claimed responsibility, but security services said the attack bore the hallmarks of Kurdish rebels. President Abdullah Gul said the attack showed “the ruthlessness of terrorism”. After the explosions, there were scenes of panic, with people covered in blood as they tried to run from the scene. TV footage showed many victims lying on the street and being carried to ambulances in blankets. Hidden in bins Initial reports suggested it may have been a gas leak, but Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler later said he was “certain that this is a terror attack” aimed at causing maximum casualties. The blasts occurred about ten minutes apart around 2200 local time (1900 GMT) on a busy pedestrian street. The editor of the New Anatolian newspaper, Ilnur Cevik, told the BBC that about 1,000 people had been in the area at the time. The first explosion was caused by a small device placed in a rubbish bin in front of a bank. Afterwards, a crowd gathered in the area. Then a second bomb placed in another bin about 50m from the first exploded minutes later. “The first explosion was not very strong,” Huseyin Senturk, the owner of a nearby shoe shop, told the Associated Press. “Several people came to see what was going on. That’s when the second explosion occurred and it injured many onlookers.” Mr Guler said police believed the blasts were not suicide bombings, but activated either remotely or by means of a timer. “This is an abhorrent attack. Unfortunately, the fact that the explosion took place in a crowded place increased the number of the casualties,” he said. “An extensive investigation is being conducted at present at the scene of the incident.” Turkish media quote police sources as saying the attack bears the hallmarks of the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), possibly in revenge for a series of major operations by the Turkish military on its bases in recent days. The BBC’s Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says the PKK has bombed civilians in Turkish cities in the past, but so have Islamist militants and other radical groups. In November 2003, more than 60 people were killed by a series of suicide bombings in Istanbul which the authorities linked to al-Qaeda. Kurdish rebels carried out a spate of attacks on tourist sites in Turkey in 2006, killing more than a dozen people. ‘Brutal attack’ As the police investigation continues, Turkish politicians have condemned Sunday’s attack. President Gul said: “I condemn the perpetrators of this attack which demonstrates the ruthlessness of terrorism and its goal to engage in savagery without any regard for women, men, the elderly or children.” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan such attacks only strengthened Turkey’s determination in its fight against terrorism. A politician from Mr Erdogan’s governing AK Party, Murat Mercan, told the BBC that Turkey would not give in to terrorists. “Terrorists are trying to destabilise the country, but Turkey has already a lot of experience on this terrorism so it won’t distract our country, our society from daily, ordinary life,” he said. Earlier this month, three policemen and three gunmen were killed in a gun battle outside the US consulate in a northern suburb of Istanbul. Police said they believed the attackers were members of a Turkish Sunni fundamentalist group, the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front.

Police inspect the scene, Terrorists are trying to destabilise the country : Murat Mercan, AK Party

The Gungoren district is popular with local people taking an evening stroll

here bombs hits…