18 May 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing
Encyclopedia
The Makkah Masjid bombing occurred on May 18, 2007 inside the Makkah Masjid, a mosque the old city area in Hyderabad, capital of the India
n state
of Andhra Pradesh
located very close to Charminar
. The blast was caused by a cellphone-triggered pipe bomb
. Fourteen people were reported dead in the immediate aftermath, of whom five(official record:disputed) were killed by the police firing after the incident while trying to quell the mob.
and TNT were used in the 10 inches (25.4 cm) by 3 inches (7.6 cm) pipe bomb. The bomb was placed under a heavy granite
slab that broke in two. Police later said that the slab had taken the force of the impact and saved many lives.
The blast occurred near the open air section of the Makkah Masjid. At the time of the blast more than 10,000 people were inside the mosque
premises, for the Friday prayers. The injured were treated at the Osmania hospital in Hyderabad.
Following this Mumbai
and other parts of Maharashtra
were put on alert. State Home Minister K Jana Reddy said the blast, which injured over fifty people in addition to the death toll, could be the act of foreign elements.
It is reported that a frenzied mob attacked state-owned road transport corporation buses, forcing the closure of Falaknuma bus depot.
According to the police, the rioters were trying to set fire to a petrol pump. Inspector P. Sudhakar of Falaknuma police station, who has been removed from his position on the charge of opening fire `indiscriminately' to control the rampaging mobs stated:
, Central Bureau of Investigation
and Anti Terrorist Squad (India) have uncovered the alleged role of RSS linked extremists behind the Makkah Masjid bombing. Earlier, the South Asia Terrorism Portal, the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
, the National Counterterrorism Center the United States
, and the United Nations
reported that Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami was actually behind the attacks based on initial investigations. Noting this, security analyst Bahukutumbi Raman
has questioned "the two different versions that have emerged from Indian and American investigators." accepting that this could be possible because Indian authorities have not updated their counterparts in the US and UN. The CBI have also claimed that the United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) does not seem to be up to date with the latest investigation.
On November 19, 2010, the Central Bureau of Investigation
produced the preacher Swami Asimanand before the court in connection with the Makkah Masjid blast in Hyderabad in May 2007. The court remanded Swami Asimanand to CBI custody till 30 November and was taken to Chanchalguda Jail. He was nabbed in Haridwar on Friday and was brought to Hyderabad today. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Delhi had granted CBI the transit remand of Swami for two days. Other cases that he has been linked with include 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
, 2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing
and Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast.
On January 15, the confession of Swami Aseemanand
was published by Tehelka
and CNN-IBN implicating various members of Saffron terror
outfits in other cases such as Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast, 2006 Malegaon blasts
, 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
, 2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing
. The confession was done in front of a magistrate citing the guilt he felt after seeing innocent Muslim boys arrested in the case by the police. However in late March 2011, Aseemanand redacted his 'confession' alleging that he was coerced by the ATS to make a confession
In April, 2010, Aseemanand submitted a letter to the court which said: "I have been pressured mentally and physically by the investigating agencies to 'confess' that I was behind these blasts." He also said he was threatened and pressured to become a government witness in the case.
A letter written by Aseemanand on December 20, 2010, two days after his confession to the CBI, was presented as evidence in January 2011 to show that the confession he gave was actually voluntary. The letter, which was never sent, was addressed to the presidents of India and Pakistan and explained why he had wanted to confess and tell the truth after seeing the innocent people that had been arrested and implicated with him. Because of this proof about Aseemanand's confession, the families of the 32 men arrested in the aftermath of the bombing have begun demanding the release of the youths from jail.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
located very close to Charminar
Charminar
Charminar built in 1591 AD, is a landmark monument located in Hyderabad, India. The two words Char Minar of Urdu language are combined to which it is known as Charminar . These are four ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches, it has become the global icon of Hyderabad and is...
. The blast was caused by a cellphone-triggered pipe bomb
Pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
. Fourteen people were reported dead in the immediate aftermath, of whom five(official record:disputed) were killed by the police firing after the incident while trying to quell the mob.
Overview
According to the Deccan Chronicle, the bomb comprised a high explosive substance filled in a 10 inches (254 mm) by 3 inches (76.2 mm) pipe. The Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory claims that RDXRDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
and TNT were used in the 10 inches (25.4 cm) by 3 inches (7.6 cm) pipe bomb. The bomb was placed under a heavy granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
slab that broke in two. Police later said that the slab had taken the force of the impact and saved many lives.
The blast occurred near the open air section of the Makkah Masjid. At the time of the blast more than 10,000 people were inside the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
premises, for the Friday prayers. The injured were treated at the Osmania hospital in Hyderabad.
Following this Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and other parts of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
were put on alert. State Home Minister K Jana Reddy said the blast, which injured over fifty people in addition to the death toll, could be the act of foreign elements.
Rioting and Police firing
Five individuals died as a result of the police firing. This has caused considerable controversy. The Telegraph reports:- Six rounds were fired in the afternoon and evening to prevent shops and public property from being damaged, including petrol pumps and ATMs. One person was killed in the firing in the Moghapura area, while two fell to the police bullets elsewhere. Another lost his life when the police had to pull the trigger to control a mob trying to break into an ATM.
- According to police commissioner Balwinder Singh, his men resorted to firing after water cannons, tear gas and baton-charge failed to bring the mob fury under control.
It is reported that a frenzied mob attacked state-owned road transport corporation buses, forcing the closure of Falaknuma bus depot.
According to the police, the rioters were trying to set fire to a petrol pump. Inspector P. Sudhakar of Falaknuma police station, who has been removed from his position on the charge of opening fire `indiscriminately' to control the rampaging mobs stated:
- "While I asked my subordinates to be on high alert, mobs from Shalibanda and the mosque came towards Moghalpura pelting stones. They set ablaze a wine shop and charged towards a petrol pump where we were stationed."
- The mobs took out petrol from the dispenser and sprinkled it on the room. "When they tried to ignite it with the help of dry grass, I ordered my men to open fire with .303 rifles to disperse them," he says. "As the situation turned worse, I sought additional forces. Quick Reaction teams along with Moghalpura Inspector arrived and scattered the crowd by opening fire." At least 10 persons, including policemen, could have been killed if fire orders were not issued, he insists.
Suspected bombers
The National Investigation AgencyNational Investigation Agency
National Investigation Agency is a federal agency approved by the Indian Government to combat terror in India. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. The National Investigation Agency Bill 2008 to create the agency was...
, Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
and Anti Terrorist Squad (India) have uncovered the alleged role of RSS linked extremists behind the Makkah Masjid bombing. Earlier, the South Asia Terrorism Portal, the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses , New Delhi is India's premier think tank for advanced research in international relations, especially strategic and security issues, and also trains civilian and military officers of the Government of India. Established in 1965, IDSA is funded by but...
, the National Counterterrorism Center the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
reported that Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami was actually behind the attacks based on initial investigations. Noting this, security analyst Bahukutumbi Raman
Bahukutumbi Raman
Bahukutumbi Raman is a former Additional Secretary , Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India and former head of the counter-terrorism division of India's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing . He is currently the director of the Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai...
has questioned "the two different versions that have emerged from Indian and American investigators." accepting that this could be possible because Indian authorities have not updated their counterparts in the US and UN. The CBI have also claimed that the United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) does not seem to be up to date with the latest investigation.
On November 19, 2010, the Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
produced the preacher Swami Asimanand before the court in connection with the Makkah Masjid blast in Hyderabad in May 2007. The court remanded Swami Asimanand to CBI custody till 30 November and was taken to Chanchalguda Jail. He was nabbed in Haridwar on Friday and was brought to Hyderabad today. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Delhi had granted CBI the transit remand of Swami for two days. Other cases that he has been linked with include 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
The 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings were a terrorist attack that occurred around midnight on 18 February 2007 on the Samjhauta Express, a twice-weekly train service connecting Delhi, India, and Lahore, Pakistan. Bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, just after the train...
, 2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing
29 September 2008 western India bombings
In the 29 September 2008 Western India bombings, three bombs exploded in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra of India killing 8 persons and injuring 80...
and Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast.
On January 15, the confession of Swami Aseemanand
Swami Aseemanand
Swami Aseemanand is a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist from India who is accused of planning terror attacks on Ajmer Sharif, Mecca Masjid, 2006 Malegaon blasts and 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings. The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Aseemanand on November 19, 2010 for his...
was published by Tehelka
Tehelka
Tehelka is an Indian weekly political magazine under the editorship of Tarun Tejpal known for its undercover exposé style of journalism. Its cover price is Rs 20 per issue. The publication began in 2000 as a news website, Tehelka.com...
and CNN-IBN implicating various members of Saffron terror
Saffron Terror
Saffron terror is a controversial phrase used to describe acts of Right-wing terrorism in India, allegedly inspired by Hindu nationalism. The phrase "saffron terror" is a neologism which entered public debate in India following the 29 September 2008 western India bombings.The Home Minister of...
outfits in other cases such as Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast, 2006 Malegaon blasts
2006 Malegaon blasts
The 2006 Malegaon bombings were a series of bomb blasts that took place on 8 September 2006 in Malegaon, a town in the Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra, located at some 290 km to the northeast of state capital Mumbai....
, 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
The 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings were a terrorist attack that occurred around midnight on 18 February 2007 on the Samjhauta Express, a twice-weekly train service connecting Delhi, India, and Lahore, Pakistan. Bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, just after the train...
, 2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing
29 September 2008 western India bombings
In the 29 September 2008 Western India bombings, three bombs exploded in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra of India killing 8 persons and injuring 80...
. The confession was done in front of a magistrate citing the guilt he felt after seeing innocent Muslim boys arrested in the case by the police. However in late March 2011, Aseemanand redacted his 'confession' alleging that he was coerced by the ATS to make a confession
In April, 2010, Aseemanand submitted a letter to the court which said: "I have been pressured mentally and physically by the investigating agencies to 'confess' that I was behind these blasts." He also said he was threatened and pressured to become a government witness in the case.
A letter written by Aseemanand on December 20, 2010, two days after his confession to the CBI, was presented as evidence in January 2011 to show that the confession he gave was actually voluntary. The letter, which was never sent, was addressed to the presidents of India and Pakistan and explained why he had wanted to confess and tell the truth after seeing the innocent people that had been arrested and implicated with him. Because of this proof about Aseemanand's confession, the families of the 32 men arrested in the aftermath of the bombing have begun demanding the release of the youths from jail.
See also
- Religious violence in IndiaReligious violence in IndiaReligious violence in India includes acts of violence by followers of one religious group against followers and institutions of another religious group, often in the form of rioting...
- Saffron TerrorSaffron TerrorSaffron terror is a controversial phrase used to describe acts of Right-wing terrorism in India, allegedly inspired by Hindu nationalism. The phrase "saffron terror" is a neologism which entered public debate in India following the 29 September 2008 western India bombings.The Home Minister of...
- Terrorism in IndiaTerrorism in IndiaTerrorism in India is primarily attributable to religious communities and Naxalite radical movements.The regions with long term terrorist activities today are Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai, Central India and the Seven Sister States...
- 2006 Malegaon blasts2006 Malegaon blastsThe 2006 Malegaon bombings were a series of bomb blasts that took place on 8 September 2006 in Malegaon, a town in the Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra, located at some 290 km to the northeast of state capital Mumbai....
- 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings2007 Samjhauta Express bombingsThe 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings were a terrorist attack that occurred around midnight on 18 February 2007 on the Samjhauta Express, a twice-weekly train service connecting Delhi, India, and Lahore, Pakistan. Bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, just after the train...
- 2007 Ajmer Dargah attackAjmer Dargah attackThe Ajmer Dargah attack occurred on 11 October 2007, outside the Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, after the Iftar period had started...
- 2008 Malegoan & Modasa bombing29 September 2008 western India bombingsIn the 29 September 2008 Western India bombings, three bombs exploded in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra of India killing 8 persons and injuring 80...