Blast probe: HuJI trail tracked, 35 B8217;deshis held

It is suspected that 18-20 people were involved in process of procuring explosives materials and execution of attack.

Two days after the Jaipur serial blasts, the Union Cabinet was briefed on the probe, the similarities with the attack in Hyderabad last August and the possible involvement of the terror outfit Harkat ul Jihad-i-Islami HuJI. But the Government admitted that a 8216;breakthrough8217; was still awaited.

Emerging from the briefing, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the Cabinet had been briefed by the National Security Advisor and the Cabinet Secretary. 8220;I don8217;t think we have reached a stage where we can claim that we have achieved a breakthrough,8221; Chidambaram said in response to a query on the progress in the probe.

Told that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had said her state had received no actionable intelligence inputs from the Centre, Chidambaram said the Centre and the state shared the responsibility of law and order and intelligence gathering.

The admission of no-breakthrough-yet came even as police in Jaipur detained 35 Bangladeshis for questioning. Clearly, the police was probing the possible involvement of the HuJI, a terror group based in Bangladesh.

Sources said it is suspected that a group of 18-20 people were involved in the process of procuring explosives, materials and execution of the attack. The sources said that such a big attack could not have been carried out without local support.

8220;We believe that the entire thing was planned about four months ago and an advance reconnaissance was done at that time. The enactment of the final plan began 3-4 days before the blasts when cycles, cloth to wrap the bombs and ball bearings are believed to have been purchased,8221; the sources said.

The antecedents of people who have been detained are being checked thoroughly to establish whether anyone from outside the city had come and stayed with them in the days before the blasts.

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Though the focus is HuJI, sources said the police have not ruled out the role of other terror organisations.

Police have been able to prepare sketches of three other suspects after questioning eyewitnesses. Among the eyewitnesses who helped in the process was the owner of the shop from where a bicycle was purchased. Police have also detained a few persons who resembled the man in the first sketch released by the police last night.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje announced the formation of a special team to deal with terror. 8220;We have decided to form a SIT under an IGP-level officer to investigate the serial blasts,8221; she said.

In New Delhi, police detained three Afghan nationals for questioning from old Govindpura area in East Delhi. One of them reportedly resembled the sketch put out by the Jaipur police. DCP East Ajay Chowdhury said: 8220;We did question them but nothing has been found against them8221;.