2008 Ahmedabad bombings explained

2008 Ahmedabad bombings
Location:Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Time:18:45 – 19:55
Timezone:IST
Type:Bombing[1]
Fatalities:56[2]
Injuries:200[3]
Convictions:
  • Murder
  • Attempted murder
  • Property damage
Verdict:All 49 convicts found guilty on 18 February 2022[4]
Perp:Indian Mujahideen
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Convicted:49 (See list below)
Accused:77 (of which 28 were acquitted)

The 2008 Ahmedabad bombings were a series of 21 bomb blasts that hit Ahmedabad, India, on 26 July 2008, within a span of 70 minutes. Fifty-six people were killed and over 200 people were injured.[2] [3] Ahmedabad is the cultural and commercial heart of Gujarat state and a large part of western India. The blasts were considered to be of low intensity and were similar to the Bangalore blasts, Karnataka which occurred the day before.[5] This bombings were done by Pakistani Islamic Terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami.[6]

Several TV channels had received an e-mail from a terror outfit called Indian Mujahideen claiming responsibility for the terror attacks;[7] [8] Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, however, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.[9] The Gujarat police arrested the suspected mastermind, Mufti Abu Bashir, along with nine others, in connection to the bombings.[10]

In a verdict given by Ahmedabad special court in February 2022, of the 77 accused, 28 were acquitted for lack of evidence, 11 were sentenced to life imprisonment and 38 were sentenced to death.[11]

Bombings

The bombs were planted in Tiffin carriers on bicycles, a pattern similar to the 13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings.[12] Many of the blasts targeted the city bus service of AMTS (Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service), ripping apart portions of the vehicles.[13] Two blasts took place inside the premises of two hospitals, about 40 minutes after the initial series of blasts. One of the blasts in the hospitals occurred when injured victims of the initial series of blasts were being admitted there.[14] Another bomb was found and defused on the following day in the Hatkeshwar area. Two live bombs were also retrieved from Maninagar, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's constituency.[15]

Gujarat police recovered and defused two more bombs in Surat, another major city in Gujarat, a day after the Ahmedabad blasts. Two cars filled with materials required to make explosives, including detonators, were also found, one of them parked on a roadside near a hospital,[16] and the other in the outskirts of Surat.[17]

Bombing Locations

Warning of attacks through e-mail

Several news agencies reported receiving a 14-page e-mail five minutes before the explosions with the subject line: "Await 5 minutes for the revenge of Gujarat",[18] apparently referring to the 2002 Gujarat violence which took place after the Godhra train burning incident. The e-mail was sent by the Islamic extremist group known as Indian Mujahideen on 26 July at around 6:41pm IST.[19]

The contents of the e-mail warned of attacks in 5 minutes: "In the name of Allah the Indian Mujahideen strike again! Do whatever you can, within 5 minutes from now, feel the terror of Death!"[20]

The e-mail also contained threats against Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh, and his deputy, R.R. Patil, with the claim, "We wonder at your memory. Have you forgotten the evening of 11 July 2006 so quickly and so easily?"[20]

Furthermore, the threats went on to warn Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries to "think-twice" before "usurping and building a citadel on a land in Mumbai that belongs to the Waqf board...lest it turns into horrifying memories for you which you will never ever forget".[20]

The e-mail also reportedly threatened several Bollywood actors, asking them to stop acting.[20]

Police reported that they questioned U.S. national Ken Haywood from whose IP address the threatening email was sent. Haywood's residence in the Sanpada area of Navi Mumbai was raided by ATS officials on 27 July after the IP address from which a threatening email was sent minutes before the Ahmedabad serial blasts was found to be his.[21]

Casualties

56 people were killed by the bombing and over 200 people were injured.[2] [3]

Initially, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sanctioned an ex gratia payment of ₹ 100,000 (US$2,300) to the next of kin of the dead. However, upon visiting Ahmedabad, he raised the ex gratia figure to ₹ 350,000 (US$8,050). In addition, he also announced a compensation of ₹ 50,000 (US$1,200) for those injured in the blasts.[22]

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of Rs 500,000 (US$11,500) to each victim of the bomb blasts.[23]

Investigations

See also: Indian Mujahideen.

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami has claimed the responsibility of the blasts. The email mentioned that "the innocent Muslims arrested in the (Mumbai), bomb blast case are being tried for years and years."[24]

Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said the Centre dispatched one team of bomb experts and decided to convene a meeting of top officials of state governments to discuss the situation arising out of the recent explosions.[25]

According to the Times of India the intelligence community believes that both blasts of Bangalore and Ahmedabad were executed by a network of Wahabi fundamentalists masquerading as Indian Mujahideen.[26]

Leads in the case

Suspects

Arrests

Legal case

Controversy arose in the court case of the 26 accused as the state was alleged to have suppressed the legal rights of the accused. On 23 October lawyers of the accused walked out in protest against the stand taken by the Metropolitan Magistrate. The lawyers wanted to meet the accused alone, however, they had moved an application stating that police did not allow them to meet their clients alone and that the Court should direct the police not to remain present while they were talking to the accused. The Metropolitan Magistrate countered that it was not possible as police had to be with the accused. He is said to have hinted at collusion between the lawyers and the accused, causing a walk out by the accused's lawyers.[49] The next day, in two different cases, the designated Metropolitan Court remanded all the 26 accused to police custody until 31 October.[50]

As per the legal rules police have to file a chargesheet in any case before 90 days of the first arrest of the case. However, on 11 November, about three and half months after blasts and the late July arrest, the Gujarat police filed a chargesheet, pertaining to the city civil hospital blast and L G hospital blast case, in a court naming 26 people, all with alleged linked to SIMI, as accuseds in the case. A 2,000-page chargesheet was filed in the court of the Metropolitan Magistrate, G M Patel. The accused included SIMI activists Mufti Abu Basher, Safdar Nagori and Sajid Mansuri. The chargesheet also listed the names of 50 absconders, and that police had so far examined 511 potential witnesses.[51]

Similarities

Similarities between the Bangalore and Ahmedabad bombings were investigated, where the former suffered from eight blasts and the latter 21. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Prakash Jaiswal told reporters in Kanpur that the similarities between this and the Bangalore blasts was that both "blasts were of low intensity" and were planted in crowded areas.[52] Furthermore, both states – Karnataka and Gujarat – have BJP led governments.[53]

Further threats

The threat of terror continued even after Ahmedabad blasts. The Gujarat police discovered an active bomb which was set to detonate at 12:00am IST in Hatkeshwar, Maninagar. A bomb squad was quick to respond and successfully managed to defuse the bomb in front of a large crowd, which rose to jubilation and applause upon bomb's defusion.

Kerala

A phone call from Pakistan to a Karnataka journalist claimed there would be more blasts in Kerala on Sunday. Kerala police chief Raman Srivastava said: "I have been informed by the DGP of Karnataka about the terror threat to Kerala. We spoke to the journalist concerned, who said he had received two calls today – one at 1 pm and another at 3:30 pm."[54]

Surat

On the following Monday, just days after the Ahmedabad blasts, another bomb was found in Varachha area of Surat.[55] The bomb was placed near an electricity transmitter and contained a packet 700–800 grams of ammonium nitrate, a packet of shrapnel, two detonators, one battery, and a circuit. This was found after the two car bombs that were discovered immediately after Ahmedabad attacks.

On Tuesday, 29 July, eighteen bombs were found in Surat, and were subsequently defused. They were found mainly in the diamond-processing and residential areas of Surat, within a span of just four hours.[56] [57] [58] According to the Times of India, a top government official believed that the planting of so many "unexploded" bombs was probably a means to divert attention of the police from the ongoing blast probe.[59] After Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi visited the city another bomb was found and defused by a bomb disposal squad. All in all, 23 bombs were found in three days in Surat.[60]

Forensic investigations revealed that the bombs had not exploded because the circuits had been wrongly assembled. The police were not sure whether that was on purpose or a way to estimate the reaction time of the bomb squad, for planning future attacks.[61]

Rajasthan

Three bombs were detected on the road in Pali district, near Marwar Junction in Rajasthan. The bombs, put in half-litre oil containers, were planted on the Marwar-Ranawas Road at gap of one km and were spotted by onlookers. The box carried a bundle of fuse wire, 30–40 marbles, 8 iron plates, and detonator. There was no timer nor any electronic device attached to the explosives. The bombs were defused by the bomb squad.[62]

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, Sheikh Abdul Ghaffoor, 39, was arrested with an alleged plan of carrying out bombings on Independence Day, 15 August 2008.[63] The plot included bombing the state capital Chennai along with three other cities in Tamil Nadu and at least six trains.[63] Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai is believed to be on top of the list for such terror attack.[64] The man was detained with a large cache of explosives and two timer devices. Apparently, it is believed that the plot was revealed by an arrested leader, P Ali Abdullah, of a banned organisation, who has been serving sentences in an Indian jail since 2003. Chennai city police later on 1 August 2008 announced that the arrests were not linked with either the Ahmedabad or Bangalore blasts.[65]

Kolkata

An E-Mail was sent to Kolkata on 29 July 2008 to bomb 8 different locations in Kolkata. Subsequently, high alert was placed in Kolkata but the E-mail turned out to be a hoax.

New Delhi

Another E-mail was sent to the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi on 30 July 2008 to bomb several locations in Delhi. The mail was soon forwarded to the Delhi Police from the Japanese Embassy and the city was placed under a Red Alert. The E-Mail threatened to bomb Sarojini Nagar which was a target in the October 2005 bombings. Further to these threats Japan closed its embassy in New Delhi on 31 July 2008 and also issue warning to its citizens living in India to avoid crowded places like markets and train stations.[66] Nevertheless, the initial examination of a youth arrested for sending emails to the Japanese embassy indicated that he might suffer from some mental problems.[67] Delhi police revealed that the youth who sent the email was frustrated of a failed visa application to the embassy and the email threat was a hoax.[68]

Criticism

In criticizing the central government Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management said "India's police to population ratio is one of the lowest in the world, barring the poorer African countries. There is a high deficit of personnel in intelligence gathering. The IB has barely 3,500 field officers. We need to address these shortcomings."

Security expert Prakash Singh added "they (terrorists) have no fear of being detected, arrested or prosecuted."

PR Chari, a research professor at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, said "the blasts were a demonstration of their (terrorists) capabilities and a terse reminder of the state's helplessness."[69]

BJP president Rajnath Singh also blamed the UPA government for its "soft approach" to terrorism that has allowed terrorists to grow bolder. He also took the government to task for repealing POTA and for "sleeping over the anti-terror laws like GUJCOCA (an anti-terror law adopted by the Gujarat Assembly)".[70] Gujarat Congress chief Siddharth Patel said: "'The Gujarat government has failed miserably on the law and order front." Adding that the terror attack pointed to the "total failure' of the state's intelligence machinery."[71]

Sushma Swaraj, a senior leader of the BJP, at a press conference in Delhi, claimed the ruling UPA government had a conspiratorial hand in the blasts to divert attention from the allegations of bribery as well as to gain Muslim votes.[72] Times of India called her comments as "scandalous" and "outrageous remarks".[73] The Congress party's spokesman, Shakeel Ahmed said that Sushma Swaraj should be "tried for treason" and her comments have "given a clean chit to terrorists and anti-national, disruptive forces both within and outside India".[74] Later on 31 July 2008, BJP's spokesperson, Prakash Javdekar, clarified that the allegation of conspiracy made by Sushma Swaraj was her personal view and to the contrary the party viewed the attacks not as a conspiracy of the Congress party but as "an attack on the nation".[75] Although Sushma Swaraj's comments were critically commented by some media and her own party, T. K. Arun, a columnist of The Economic Times suggested that investigations should also look into her point that some of the blasts occurred in Muslim locals of Ahmedabad and "that a large share of those getting slaughtered by the terrorists are Muslims".[76] The US national to whom the suspicious e-mail was traced escaped from India even after a lookout notice was issued.[77]

Reaction

Hindu–Muslim Unity

It is widely believed that the attacks were carried out to bring about the levels of unrest Gujarat had seen after the Godhra train burning.[78] It is believed that by targeting communally sensitive[79] areas such as Sarkhej, Muslims attackers wanted to provoke and re-ignite communal disharmony and riots. However, the people of Gujarat stood tall in unity against such violence. Peaceful demonstrations held across Gujarat by both Hindus and Muslims called attacks an act of cowardice.[80] Such demonstrations of unity were also held in Delhi and Bhopal where Hindus and Muslims held candlelight vigils.[81]

Upon his visit to the region, PM Singh praised Gujarat's unity saying "I commend the people of Gujarat for the resilience they have shown. These terrorist acts are aimed at destroying our social fabric, undermining communal harmony and demoralising our people".[82]

President Pratibha Patil,[83] Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,[84] Vice-president Hamid Ansari,[85] Chief Minister Narendra Modi, all condemned the blasts and appealed for calm. Minister of State for Home Affairs Shakeel Ahmed expressed surprise and shock at the successive attacks.[86] Home Minister Shivraj Patil said: "we should assess the situation correctly and try to help the people, who have suffered and plan to see that these things do not happen afterwards."[87] Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader L. K. Advani condemned the blasts,[88] and demanded that both Gujarat and Rajasthan should be allowed to go for their own anti-terror legislation.[89]

The Bahujan Samaj Party questioned intelligence agencies failure to be alert to the blast conspiracy, and urged the state Congress to ask the UPA to approve GUJCOC act. The Vishva Hindu Parishad announced it planned a nationwide anti-jehadi movement from 28 July, and urged the government to act against terrorism "before it is late."[90] AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa called for the revival of special act like POTA to "effectively counter terrorists and extremist outfits".[91]

A host of others who condemned the blasts included Head of the congress party Sonia Gandhi,[92] Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Prakash Jaiswal, CPI M,[93] the All India Muslim Forum,[94] Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,[95] Sanchetna, Sahrwaru, Safar, AMWA, Muslim Majlise Mushavirat, Sarkhej Muslim Welfare Organisation, Ahmedabad Muslim Welfare Society, Sirat Committee, Aman Samuday, Anhad, Swabhiman Andolan, Lok Kala Manch, Samarpan, Sarvoday Sanskrutik Manch, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, Bharatiya Moolnivasi Janjagran Abhiyan, and Action Aid (Gujarat).[96]

International

Countries

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani condemned the bomb attacks in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, describing them as "acts of senseless violence against innocent persons". The Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani has strongly condemned the acts of terrorist violence in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad and Bangalore and expressed deep sympathies with the bereaved families and the victims of these dastardly acts of senseless violence against innocent persons."[97]

The US embassy released a statement "The US condemns the vicious terror attacks in Bangalore on Friday and Ahmedabad on Saturday" and extended condolences to the families of the bereaved.[98]

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the serial blasts in a statement saying "I unreservedly condemn the cowardly terrorist attacks in Ahmedabad, India, yesterday, killing and injuring a large number of persons, as well as the terrorist attacks in Bangalore the previous day". The Executive President said "These wanton acts of terror by the forces are ranged against democracy...Sri Lanka being a country gravely affected by the scourge of terrorism for more than two decades, we understand well how the manipulators of terror seek to destroy harmonious relations among communities and the democratic traditions that prevail in our societies...My Government and I share the determination and commitment of the Government and people of India not to yield to this sustained threat of terror from those who seek to achieve their ends by inflicting maximum damage to the lives and limbs of civilians, disrupting their day to day lives and society at large."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for a "collective struggle against terrorism which threatens the stability of the region. Terrorism is a serious threat against the international community and this evil phenomenon must be fought collectively."

Unions

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned in the "strongest terms" the series of bombings in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad and stressed that no cause or grievance can justify terrorist acts.[100]

European Union condemned the attack in a statement saying "The Presidency of the Council of European Union presents its deepest condolences to India, its government and its people, as well as to the victims and their families".[101]

Trial and verdict

The trial merged 35 separated cases as a single case and was heard in a special court of Judge A. R. Patel in Ahmedabad. The trial began in 2009 and lasted for about 13 years. The hearing was concluded in September 2021. On 8 February 2022 the verdict was delivered pronouncing 28 accused acquitted due to lack of acceptable evidence while 49 as convicted.[102] The sentences were provided on 18 February 2022, including 38 death sentences and 11 life imprisonments.[103]

List of convicts[104] !#!Name!Native State!Notes
1Zahid SheikhGujarat
2Imran SheikhGujarat
3Iqbal SheikhGujarat
4Samsuddin SheikhGujarat
5Javed SheikhGujarat
6Asif SheikhMaharashtra
7Atique KhiljeeRajasthan
8Mehdi AnsariRajasthan
9Safiq Ansari Madhya Pradesh
10RafiuddinGujarat
11Arif MirzaUttar Pradesh
12KabumuddinGujarat
13Sibyl Muslim Kerala
14Safdar NagoriMadhya Pradesh
15Hafiz MullaKarnataka
16Sajid MansooriGujarat
17Afzal UsmaniMaharashtra
18Sarfuddin IttiTelangana
19Md. Sadiq SheikhMaharashtra
20Md Arif SheikhMaharashtra
21Akbar ChaudharyMaharashtra
22Fazal DuraniMaharashtra
23Nausad SayedGujarat
24Ahmed Barelvi Gujarat
25Rafiq AfidiGujarat
26Amin SheikRajasthan
27Md. Mobin KhanUttar Pradesh
28Md. AnsarGujarat
29Gyasuddin Ansari Gujarat
30Arif KagziGujarat
31UsmaanGujarat
32Yunus MansooriGujarat
33Imran PathanRajasthan
34Abubasar SheikhUttar Pradesh
35Abaas SamezaGujarat
36Saifu Ansari Uttar Pradesh
37Md. Saif SheikhUttar Pradesh
38Zishan SheikhUttar Pradesh
39Jia-ur-RahmanUttar Pradesh
40Tanveer PathanUttar Pradesh
41Abraar ManiyarUttar Pradesh
42Shaduli KarimKerala
43Tausif PathanMaharashtra
44Md. Ali Ansari Madhya Pradesh
45Md. IsmailGujarat
46Kamruddin Madhya Pradesh
47Aleem KaziMadhya Pradesh
48Aniq Sayed Maharashtra
49Md. Shaqil Uttar Pradesh
Number convicts Per States and union territories of India!#!States / union territories!Convict Count!% of convicts
1Gujarat1836.7
2Uttar Pradesh1020.4
3Maharashtra816.3
4Madhya Pradesh510.2
5Rajasthan48.2
6Kerala24.1
7Karnataka12.0
8Telangana12.0
Total49100%

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ahmedabad blasts claim two more victims. 1 August 2008. 1 August 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080810070008/http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/07/stories/2008080759931300.htm. 10 August 2008 . The Hindu. dead.
  2. Web site: Gujarat police release three sketches. The Hindu. Kasturi & Sons Ltd. 6 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081004152410/http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15625&Itemid=88. usurped. 4 October 2008. 6 August 2008 .
  3. Web site: Death toll in Ahmedabad serial blasts rises to 55. Khabrein.info. 1 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081004152410/http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15625&Itemid=88. usurped. 4 October 2008. 1 August 2008 .
  4. Web site: India court sentences 38 to death over 2008 Ahmedabad bombings. 2022-02-19. Al Jazeera. en.
  5. Web site: Five persons injured in Jharkhand blast. NDTV. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080730033224/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080058895. 30 July 2008. dead.
  6. Web site: 2008-08-02 . Islamic Terrorism . 2022-05-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080802233922/http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/27/india-blasts-toll-up-to-37/ . 2 August 2008 . dead.
  7. Web site: 16 blasts in Ahmedabad; 49 dead, 145 injured. India Today Group. Living Media. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080803160936/http://www.itgo.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=&id=7098&sectionid=9&secid=0&Itemid=1. 3 August 2008 . live.
  8. Web site: Das. Rathin. A. Sharan. 29 killed as 17 blasts rock Ahmedabad. Hindustan Times. HT Media Ltd. 26 July 2008. 26 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605184433/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/29-killed-as-17-bomb-blasts-rock-Ahmedabad/Article1-326755.aspx. 5 June 2011. dead.
  9. News: India blasts toll up to 37. 27 July 2008. CNN. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080802233922/http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/27/india-blasts-toll-up-to-37/ . 2 August 2008. dead.
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021143608/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-17/india/27931930_1_simi-leader-safdar-nagori-ahmedabad-blasts-simi-man Abu Bashir behind Ahmedabad blasts: Police
  11. Web site: Ellis-Petersen . Hannah . 2022-02-18 . Indian court sentences 38 people to death over 2008 bombings . 2022-02-27 . . en.
  12. Web site: Ahmedabad blasts: Toll rises . 26 July 2008 . . 26 July 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080729021340/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080058856 . 29 July 2008 .
  13. Web site: Ahmedabad terror toll crosses 45, more bombs found. South Asia Monitor. Contemporary Studies Society. 27 July 2008. 4 August 2008 .
  14. News: Indian cities on high alert after blasts. CNN. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080729004509/http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/26/india.blasts/index.html. 29 July 2008 . live.
  15. Web site: Ahmedabad serial blasts claim 45 lives. NDTV. 28 July 2008. 28 July 2008 .
  16. Web site: Live bombs defused in Ahmedabad, Surat. Zee News. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080727123233/http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=458215&sid=NAT . 27 July 2008. dead.
  17. Web site: Surat on high alert; 2 cars with explosives found. Rediff.com. 27 July 2008. 4 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080804192557/http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/27ahd11.htm. 4 August 2008 . live.
  18. Web site: Rosenberg. Matthew. Islamic group claims India blasts that killed 45. Yahoo!. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080803133942/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080727/ap_on_re_as/india_explosions . 3 August 2008.
  19. Web site: Islamic group claims India blasts that killed 45 . . . 27 July 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080805193344/http://news.bostonherald.com/news/international/asia_pacific/view/2008_07_27_Islamic_group_claims_India_blasts_that_killed_45/srvc%3Dhome%26position%3Drecent . dead . 5 August 2008 . 27 July 2008 .
  20. News: Mukesh Ambani in Indian Mujahideen's e-mail. The Times of India. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021103424/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-27/india/27938166_1_politicians-and-business-heads-reliance-industries-limited-head-central-security-list. dead. 21 October 2012. 27 July 2008.
  21. News: Ahmedabad blasts: Lie detector, narco tests on US national Haywood. 13 August 2008. The Times of India. 13 August 2008.
  22. Web site: Ahmedabad blasts: PM asks people to maintain communal harmony. Express India. The Indian Express Group. 26 July 2008. 26 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080806214906/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Ahmedabad-blasts--PM-asks-people-to-maintain-communal-harmony/340868/. 6 August 2008. dead.
  23. News: It's a war against India: Narendra Modi. The Times of India. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021103434/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-27/india/27893699_1_narendra-modi-bomb-blasts-gujarat. dead. 21 October 2012. 27 July 2008.
  24. News: BJP-ruled states incur wrath of terrorists. The Times of India. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021114952/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-27/india/27944359_1_bjp-ruled-states-blasts-material-damage. dead. 21 October 2012. 27 July 2008.
  25. Web site: Centre dispatches bomb experts team to Ahmedabad. Hindustan Times. HT Media Ltd. 26 July 2008. 7 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20140313025012/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Centre-dispatches-bomb-experts-team-to-Ahmedabad/Article1-326807.aspx. 13 March 2014. dead.
  26. News: Experts see Wahabis in garb of Indian Mujahideen. The Times of India. 28 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021103511/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-28/india/27937771_1_serial-blasts-muslim-community-wahabi. dead. 21 October 2012. 28 July 2008.
  27. Web site: E-mail threat: Police raid Navi Mumbai residence. India Today Group. Living Media. 27 July 2008. 27 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080803160905/http://www.itgo.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7117&Itemid=1&sectionid=9. 3 August 2008 . live.
  28. News: Indian Mujahideen claims responsibility for Jaipur blasts. Ramesh. Randeep. 15 May 2008. The Guardian. 26 July 2008. London.
  29. http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=458298&sid=NAT I heard the culprit speaking on phone, claims witness
  30. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080058986 "Two cars with explosives found in Surat".
  31. Web site: Police defuse bombs found in Surat. Yahoo!. 29 July 2008. 4 August 2008 .
  32. News: Cars started from Mumbai, bombs loaded in Vadodara. 28 July 2008 . The Times of India. Parth. Shastri. S Ahmed. Ali. 29 July 2008.
  33. News: Driver of one of the terror cars on CCTV. https://archive.today/20130629105257/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Gujarat/Driver-of-one-of-the-terror-cars-on-CCTV/Article1-327783.aspx. dead. 29 June 2013. 30 July 2008.
  34. News: Car used in Ahmedabad Civil Hospital blast moved 6 times between cities. 31 July 2008 . The Times of India. Prashant. Dayal. 31 July 2008.
  35. News: Gujarat police claim their first breakthrough in blast case. https://archive.today/20130705144111/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Ahmedabad/Gujarat-Police-claim-first-breakthrough-in-blasts-case/Article1-328665.aspx. dead. 5 July 2013. 4 August 2008.
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