The fact that the incident took place despite the strong alert, the official said, had once again proved that India still lacked assessment capabilities and the mechanism to ensure adequate follow-up action.
Sources said the Pune blast has forced security agencies to have a closer look at the little known Islamic Students Congregation (ISC), an organization headquartered in Pune and comprising Arab students. The ISC is said to have branches in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore too. This organization is said to carry out its activities, mainly student meetings, unobtrusively without attracting media attention.
The intelligence official said this organization first came on the Indian security radar in 2007 when a Sudanese member of al-Qaida visited Pune and stayed there for a month interacting with members of ISC. It was only after the Sudanese national left India that the authorities realized his true identity. He had come to India assuming a fake identity.
While Pune's association with Abu Zubaidah, Osama bin Laden's No.3 man, is well known, the fact that Pune was likely to be targeted by al-Qaida became obvious in August 2006, when three al-Qaida operatives were arrested in Algeria. "These three men had then disclosed that the same year in March, all three of them had visited Pune on a reconnaissance mission. It then became clear that Pune was on al-Qaida's hit list," said the official.
The fact that the perpetrators targeted German Bakery and not the nearby Chabad House has also set security officials thinking. "It's possible that they found it easier to plant the bomb in the bakery. However, it can't be ruled out that the perpetrators were influenced by al-Qaida leader Bekkay Harrach who has been issuing threats against Germany," said the official. The bakery was being run by a local who had earlier lived in Germany.
Meanwhile, after the Pune blast, the US has again extended a travel alert for its citizens in India saying that it continues to receive information that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in the country. "Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and capability to attack targets where US citizens or westerners are known to congregate or visit. This replaces the travel alert dated December 29, 2009, and expires on April 30, 2010," said the alert.
US ambassador Timothy J Roemer condemned the Pune bombing. "On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend heartfelt sympathy to the Government of India and the victims of this tragic terrorist blast in Pune. The US remains shoulder-to-shoulder with India in the fight against terror and will assist as needed to help bring the perpetrators of this cowardly act to justice."
US had warned of attack in Pune, Mumbai
The challenge from Pune
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