No failure,soft targets attacked

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram denied that Saturday's blast in Pune was the result of an intelligence failure.

Calling Saturdays attack in Pune a significant terror incident,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram denied on Sunday that it was the result of an intelligence failure.

The Home Minister,who visited the site of the attack and called upon the injured patients,said the German Bakery that was hit and The O Hotel opposite it were soft targets,unlike the Chabad House and Osho international commune nearby which were hard targets. Anything can happen at soft targets,he said.

Suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Headley had done a recce of Pune before the Mumbai 26/11 attack,including the Chabad House and Osho commune. Nine were killed and 57 injured in Punes first ever terror attack. A total of 38 people are admitted to hospitals,while 19 have been discharged.

Noting that the attack was not an overt one by gunmen but through an insidious bomb in a bagpack,and that the police cannot give 24/7 protection,Chidambaram said: The Commissioner of Police has informed us that the establishments were sensitised from time to time8230; This is an area on the radar of terrorists because of the location of the Chabad House and commune,which are hard targets.

The German Bakery and The O Hotel opposite it draw people from different nationalities. The Home Minister said there was no indication that any particular nationality was the target.

Admitting the need to improve the intelligence network,Chidambaram said: There is a need to improve everything. I am never satisfied with whatever we have. Intelligence has been improved but there is a need to improve intelligence,like in every walk of life there is scope for improvement.

The ATS has been instructed to take charge of the investigations,he said,adding that the kind of explosives and trigger used would be known only after forensic reports are available. We have flown in a team of forensic experts who will interact with the Pune forensic team. The government is also trying to seek access to Headley for interrogation.

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Chidambaram said Indian cities were no less vulnerable than any other in the world when it came to terror attacks and urged people to remain vigilant. He urged the media to help investigators and assured that a spokesperson would regularly update the press. We must allow investigating teams to do their work without being distracted by parallel speculative stories, Chidambaram said.

The minister applauded the Sassoon government hospital for its efforts in helping the victims. CM Ashok Chavan has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.