The Gujarat Link

The Gujarat Police suspect that the same absconding IM terrorists wanted for the 2008 serial bombings in Ahmedabad could be behind Tuesdays blast in Varanasi. To find similarities in the two blasts,a team of the Gujarat ATS and experts from the state Forensic Science Laboratory were expected to leave for Varanasi Wednesday.

The IM,which claimed responsibility for the Ahmedabad blasts by sending emails to media houses,reportedly owned up the Varanasi blasts in a similar fashion. 8220;Both mention Narendra Modi and both also said the motive was to avenge the Godhra riots, a senior ATS officer said. ATS sources said there were indications that IM men Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal,believed to be holed up in Pakistan and wanted for the Ahmedabad blasts,were involved in the Varanasi bombing.

US offers help

New Delhi: Condemning the terror strike in Varanasi,the United States has offered India help in investigating the attacks. US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer made the offer during a meeting with National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon onWednesday morning. The US offers whatever assistance the Indian government would be willing to accept in this difficult occasion, Roemer told reporters after meeting Menon.