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13 September 2008 Delhi bombings
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Terrorist bombings in India
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13 September 2008 Delhi bombings Delhi, India 28.6 77.2 region:IN-DL_type:event title,inline 13 September 2008 18:07 18:38 IST UTC+05:30 Bombings 20–30 90–135 Indian Mujahideen Ammonium nitrate–based bombs tied to integrated circuits with timers Islamic terrorism
The 13 September 2008 Delhi bombings were a series of five synchronised bomb blasts that took place within the span of a few minutes on 13 September 2008 at various locations in Delhi, India.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Serial-blasts-rock-Delhi-30-dead-90-injured/articleshow/3479914.cms Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured 14 September 2008 India 13 September 2008 Rahul Tripathi https://web.archive.org/web/20080915175046/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Serial_blasts_rock_Delhi_18_dead/articleshow/3479914.cms The Times of India 15 September 2008 live The first bomb exploded at 18:07 IST, and four other blasts followed in succession, with at least 20 people killed and over 90 injured.http://in.ibtimes.com/articles/20080914/india-delhi-serial-bomb-blast-terrorism-indian-mujahedeen.htm International Business Times New Delhi serial blasts death toll rises to 30; India on high alert Gaurav Sharma 14 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080915092718/http://in.ibtimes.com/articles/20080914/india-delhi-serial-bomb-blast-terrorism-indian-mujahedeen.htm 15 September 2008
Background
Three bomb attacks had already occurred the same year in India. The first of these was on 13 May in Jaipur. The series of nine blasts over a span of 15 minutes claimed 63 lives, and injured 216."World condemns blasts, promises support in fight against terror", The Economic Times, 15 May 2008. The second series of nine bomb blasts took place on 25 July in Bangalore, and claimed 2 lives, while injuring 20.6 blasts rock Bangalore, two killed, 20 wounded The next day, on 26 July in Ahmedabad, a spurt of 21 blasts killed 56 people and injured over 200.
The Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the Jaipur bombings through an email sent to Indian media"Indian Mujahideen sends pre-blast video footage", India Today, 14 May 2008. and declared "open war" against India in retaliation for what it said were 60 years of Muslim persecution and the country's support of United States' policies, most notably the war in Afghanistan. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/13/india.delhi.blasts/ Officials: At least 14 dead in New Delhi blasts CNN 13 October 2008 14 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081024021303/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/13/india.delhi.blasts/ 24 October 2008 The Times of India has reported that either the banned organisation Students Islamic Movement of India or the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba could be behind the blasts in Bangalore.http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-25/india/27920373_1_bangalore-blasts-serial-blasts-simi SIMI, LeT may be behind Bangalore blasts: IB 25 July 2008 India 25 July 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080729170302/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SIMI_LeT_may_be_behind_Bangalore_blasts_IB__/articleshow/3279993.cms The Times of India 29 July 2008 Similar to the Jaipur case, after the Ahmedabad blasts, several TV channels reported that they received e-mails from the Indian Mujahideen claiming responsibility for the terror attacks.16 blasts in Ahmedabad; 49 dead, 145 injured India Today Group Living Media 27 July 2008 http://www.itgo.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=&id=7098§ionid=9&secid=0&Itemid=1 27 July 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080803160936/http://www.itgo.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=&id=7098§ionid=9&secid=0&Itemid=1 3 August 2008
Police say the Indian Mujahideen is an offshoot of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, but allege that local Muslims are given training and backing from militant groups in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh.http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKLD36237120080913 Five bombs explode in Indian capital Reuters 13 October 2008 13 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080916100746/http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKLD36237120080913 16 September 2008 dead
Details
thumb|right|300px|A map of Delhi showing the blast locationsWhere the terrorists struck in Delhi (Rediff, 14 September 2008)
Five blasts took place within a span of 31 minutes from 18:07 to 18:38 ISTHT (12:37 to 13:08 UTC) in busy markets or commercial localities. Four bombs were defused.
The first blast took place at 18:07 at Ghaffar market (a municipal market along a stretch of Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh), which is full of electronics shops,Five bombs explode in New Delhi, 20 killed in which at least 20 people were injured. They were rushed to nearby RML hospital. The explosive was kept near a car, and resulted in a cylinder blast in an auto rickshaw, which was subsequently thrown up several feet into the air.http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3479920.cms Serial blasts rock Delhi Indiatimes Broadband 31 January 2021 17 October 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081017060428/http://broadband.indiatimes.com/videoshow/3479920.cms dead
Immediately after, two explosions took place in Connaught Place in which at least 10 people were injured. Police and witnesses said that the bombs went off in dustbins in and around Connaught Place, a shopping and dining area popular with tourists and locals in the centre of the city. The first of these blasts occurred on Barakhamba Road, near Nirmal Tower and Gopal Das Bhavan at 18:34. A minute later, the second bomb exploded in the newly constructed Central Park in the centre of the Connaught Place roundabout, built above one of the main stations of the Delhi Metro. An eyewitness reportedly saw two men place the bomb in a dustbin at Central Park.http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?sid=1&fodname=20080913&fname=blasts Serial blasts in Delhi Outlook India 13 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080803160936/http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?sid=1&fodname=20080913&fname=blasts 3 August 2008
Subsequently, two explosions rocked M-Block market in Greater Kailash-I at 18:37 and 18:38 – the first near the popular Prince Paan Corner, and the other near a Levi's store. The latter damaged 10 shops.
Preliminary examination of the blast site said that low intensity ammonium nitrate tied to integrated circuits with timer devices had been used in almost all the serial blasts.
Four bombs were also defused – the first one at India Gate, the second outside Regal Cinema in Connaught Place, the third in Connaught Place, and the fourth on Parliament Street.http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=468881&sid=NAT Serial blasts in Delhi; 18 dead, 100 injured Zee News https://web.archive.org/web/20080803160936/http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=468881&sid=NAT 3 August 2008
On the evening of 13 September 2008, IBN reported at least 30 deaths and over 100 injured. AFP reported that "Indian police (New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat) said Sunday that 20 people were killed and close to 100 injured." afp.google.com/article, 20 killed, 98 injured in Delhi bomb attacks
Response
Police and security
Security was tightened across the national capital, with police personnel fanning out to railway and Metro stations, hospitals, bus terminals, the airport and other sensitive points like cinema halls, shopping malls and religious places. Barricades were put up on most city roads to check traffic. Several major markets, including the Sarojini Nagar market, which was targeted in the previous Diwali-eve blasts in 2005, were shut down and evacuated. Cyber-café owners were asked to keep a tab on customers.September 2021
A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) spokesperson state that "security has already been strengthened and frisking and checking of the commuters have been stepped up. The Metro is under constant vigil". He added that extra personnel had been pressed into service to keep an eye on commuters.
Press confusion
The confusion in the aftermath of the blasts was evident in the press reports immediately following. The general consensus was that the blasts had claimed 18 lives. However, there was some disparity, with CNN claiming as low as 15, to NDTV claiming as high as 30.http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080065256 30 killed, 90 injured in 5 blasts across Delhi NDTV 13 October 2008
Even after some time had passed, the numbers of people killed and injured reported by various sources varied. At the lower end, The New York Times in 2011 reported the death toll as "more than 20 people",https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/world/asia/08india.html Deadly Explosion Strikes Courthouse in New Delhi Yardley Jim 8 September 2011 The New York Times 12 September 2018 en and The Hindu noted that number of deaths as "at least 25".https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chronology-of-blasts-in-delhi/article2432097.ece Chronology of blasts in Delhi 7 September 2011 The Hindu 12 September 2018 en-IN 0971-751X Meanwhile, a 2010 report by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies indicates 26 dead and 100 injured,http://www.claws.in/images/publication_pdf/1267073161MP_19.pdf Understanding the Indian Mujahideen Rohit Singh Centre for Land Warfare Studies 978-93-80502-22-9 6 12 September 2018 11 July 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160711025047/http://www.claws.in/images/publication_pdf/1267073161MP_19.pdf dead and a 2009 article by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses claims 30 dead and nearly 90 injured.https://idsa.in/backgrounder/IndianMujahideen Who is the Indian Mujahideen? Goswami Namrata 3 February 2009 Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses en 12 September 2018 In 2018, NDTV was still reporting 30 dead and 100 injured,https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/4-bombings-in-which-arrested-indian-mujahideen-terrorist-ariz-khan-allegedly-played-key-role-1812814 43 Bombs, 165 Dead: What Cops Say on Arrested Indian Mujahideen Terrorist Sanyal Anindita 14 February 2018 NDTV 12 September 2018 but The Times of India was putting the number of injuries at 135.https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-times-of-india-new-delhi-edition/20180901/281651075979511 2008 Serial Blasts The Times of India 1 September 2018 PressReader en 12 September 2018
There was also some controversy over blast sites and the sites where bombs were defused, most notably Zee News reporting a bomb being defused at Central Park, while the Outlook Magazine stated that the park itself was a bomb site.
Responsibility
The Islamist "Indian Mujahideen" sent an e-mail to all major TV channels, informing them of the blasts just after the first one occurred.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3480529.cms There will be more bomb attacks, warns Indian Mujahideen Economictimes.indiatimes.com 14 September 2008 15 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080917003640/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3480529.cms 17 September 2008 In the case of the bomb blasts in Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, e-mails were sent before the blasts.
Indian Mujahideen strikes back once more. Within 5 minutes from now... This time with the Message of Death, dreadfully terrorising you for your sins. And thus our promise will be fulfilled. Inshallah... Do whatever you want and stop us if you can.
The email was sent from Arbi Hindi. The email threatened nine blasts. A 13-page attached document depicts photographs of the previous blasts under the caption "our jihad". The Delhi blasts are, according to the email, a direct reaction to the raids carried on and after the Ahmedabad blasts, and "harassments imposed by your (Indian) ATS and the police on the innocent Muslims". The document also mentions Amarnath dispute, violence against Christians in Orissa, Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat riots.
The email was traced to Chembur, an eastern suburb of Mumbai. Mumbai's anti-Terrorism squad (ATS) confirmed that WiFi of the owner firm "Kamran Power" was hacked and used for sending the mail.http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-09-14/news/28476418_1_terror-mail-ip-address-eric-house WiFi was hacked again to send terror mail: Mumbai ATS The Economic Times 14 September 2008 6 February 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20110605212733/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-09-14/news/28476418_1_terror-mail-ip-address-eric-house 5 June 2011
Reports claim that the Indian Mujahideen called this operation "Operation B-A-D", encompassing the Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi Bombings. Intelligence officials had intercepted a call made "from the across the border" claiming "Operation BAD is successful", after the Ahmedabad blasts, which the Gujarat police that interpreted as Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, though the dates and specific places were not known.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3480507.cms Indian Mujahideen accomplishes Operation B-A-D Economictimes.indiatimes.com 13 September 2008 15 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080916084707/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3480507.cms 16 September 2008 dead
Investigation
Two persons were detained from Connaught Place area soon after the blasts. Delhi Police said an 11-year-old boy had claimed to have seen the perpetrators; he informed police that the suspects, clad in black kurta-pyjamas, were seen placing bags in a dustbin. The Delhi Police soon, within three hours of the blast, arrested another person who the police suspect to be the mastermind of the blast.September 2008
Preliminary investigation by police reveal Indian Mujahideen-SIMI cell led by Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqir, having information technology background from Mumbai, to be involved. Another person named Qayamuddin is also under investigation. Four more people have also been detained and questioned. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Mumbai_techie_chief_suspect_Agencies/rssarticleshow/3480636.cms Mumbai techie chief suspect: Agencies 14 September 2008 The Times of India India 13 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080918074000/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Mumbai_techie_chief_suspect_Agencies/rssarticleshow/3480636.cms 18 September 2008 http://www.ibnlive.com/news/cops-look-for-faces-of-terror-find-common-link/73546-3-1.html Cops look for faces of terror – Two detained Ibnlive.com 15 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080916083713/http://www.ibnlive.com/news/cops-look-for-faces-of-terror-find-common-link/73546-3-1.html 16 September 2008
On the morning of 19 September, the Batla House encounter took place, in which Delhi Police shot down two persons, thought to be suspects, hiding in L-18 block of Jamia Nagar, Delhi. Two others suspects were arrested while one managed to escape. Bashir alias Atif, believed to be the mastermind was one of the two killed. Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who was injured in the encounter, died in a hospital. He was credited with helping to have killed 35 terror suspects, 85 arrests and also the winner of 75-odd encounters, 150 medals and seven gallantry awards.http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080066032 Saif, Zeeshan sent to 14-day police custody NDTV 20 September 2008http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080066025 Braveheart Inspector's death a huge loss NDTV 20 September 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080921002031/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080066025 21 September 2008 Later, the intelligence team said that the arrested allegedly had links with Dubai and further questioned if they had any link with Dawood Ibrahim.http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Saif--other-militants-have-Dawood-links--Intl-agencies/365303/ Cops probe Dawood link to Delhi blast suspects Express India 24 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20110605212733/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Saif--other-militants-have-Dawood-links--Intl-agencies/365303/ 5 June 2011
On 23 September, the police arrested five more people from Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh.http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=861d71e8-77e4-4160-b61e-c7a52451d569TerrorStrikesDelhi_Special&&Headline=Five+suspects+nabbed+for+serial+blasts Police claim to have arrested 5 key members of IM 24 September 2008 Hindustan Times India https://web.archive.org/web/20081225000140/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=861d71e8-77e4-4160-b61e-c7a52451d569TerrorStrikesDelhi_Special&&Headline=Five%2Bsuspects%2Bnabbed%2Bfor%2Bserial%2Bblasts 25 December 2008 dead All five are suspected to be part of the Indian Mujahadeen's think tank. The men were:
Sadiq Sheikh, 31, software engineer from Mumbai
Afzal Usmani, 32, hotelier in western suburbs of Mumbai
Arif Sheikh, 38, electrician from Mumbra, Mumbai
Mohammed Zakir Sheikh, 38, scrap dealer from Mumbra, Mumbai
Mohammed Ansar Sheikh, 31, software Engineer from Mumbai
On 4 October they were sent by the judicial Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to 12 days' policy custody.Delhi blasts: 5 suspects sent to 12 days' police custody http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Delhi_blasts_5_suspects_sent_to_12_days_police_custody/rssarticleshow/3560423.cms The Economic Times India 4 October 2008
The crime branch has claimed that these are the operatives who had introduced themselves as Pakistanis to perpetrators of 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings. After the 2006 bombings, police had claimed that a group of SIMI terrorists along with five Pakistan nationals had planted bombs in seven trains.
On 11 November, the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested Qayamuddin Kapadia, a top-ranking member of SIMI and a key conspirator and executor of the Ahmedabad attack. Police claimed that Kapadia admitted his involvement in the Ahmedabad blasts, and that he, along with Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqeer of Mumbai and Riaz Bhatkal of Karnataka, collaborated with the SIMI cell led by Atif to carry out the Delhi blasts. Atif was later killed in an encounter with Delhi Police.Ahmedabad blasts plotter held in MP https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ahmedabad-blasts-plotter-held-in-MP/articleshow/3697294.cms https://web.archive.org/web/20121022074558/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-11-11/india/27945936_1_ahmedabad-blasts-qayamuddin-kapadia-serial-blasts live 22 October 2012 India 11 November 2008 The Times of India 13 November 2008
In January 2018, Delhi police arrested Qureshi after a gun battle.https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/suspected-terrorist-involved-in-delhi-gujarat-serial-blasts-arrested-after-exchange-of-fire-with-delhi-police/story-ArsOCcRtpUFZHArbXDdCIJ.html Suspected terrorist involved in Delhi, Gujarat blasts arrested after exchange of fire with Delhi Police Singh Karn Pratap 22 January 2018 Hindustan Times 12 September 2018 en
See also
List of terrorist incidents in 2008
References
Category:21st-century mass murders in India
Category:2008 mass murders
Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 2008
Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in India
Category:Islamic terrorism in India
Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2008
Category:2010s in Delhi
Category:Filmed improvised explosive device bombings
Category:2000s in Delhi
Category:Crime in Delhi
Category:Indian Mujahideen attacks
Category:September 2008 crimes in Asia
Category:September 2008 in India