Explosions bear signature of Indian Mujahideen

Was a mixture of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and ammonium nitrate used in the improvised explosive device (IED) that was used to carry out the twin bomb blasts that rocked Dilsukhnagar on Thursday?

Preliminary investigation into the deadly combination in the IEDs has indicated the use of a mixture of PETN and ammonium nitrate. Though the  blasts point to the role of Indian Mujahideen (IM), what has puzzled them is the reported use of the explosives.

Top sources disclosed that the twin blasts bore the signature of the IM. First, the use of cycles to plant IEDs is known to be the modus operandi of the IM. ‘’The IEDs were stuffed with shrapnels, nuts and bolts and pieces of steel which points to the fact that the perpetrators intended to cause maximum damage. The use of this material has been typical of IM. But the paste of the explosives appears to be a mixture of PETN and ammonium nitrate but the analysis of NSG will confirm that,’’ a police official said.

PETN has been known to be used by Jammu and Kashmir-based militants, particularly the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI).

In fact, the Delhi police found themselves in a similar situation while probing the September 2008 blasts. Even in this probe, while evidence suggested the role of IM, the use of PETN turned confusing as it is mostly known to be used by J & K terror outfits.

Sources further said that the sleeper cells of the terror groups could have planted the explosives though a probe is on to ascertain whether the terrorists intended to plant the IEDs outside the Sai Baba temple which was witnessing huge rush on account of it being a Thursday.