Jaipur bombings

Jaipur bombings
Location	Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Coordinates	26.9260°N 75.8235°E / 26.9260; 75.8235
Date	13 May 2008 (2008-05-13) 7.30 PM (UTC+5.5)
Attack type	bicycle bombs - Ammonium Nitrate, RDX
Deaths	80+
Injured	150+
Perpetrators	Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami

The 13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings were a series of seven bomb blasts that took place within a span of 12 minutes at various locations in Jaipur, the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan and a popular tourist destination. An eighth bomb was found and defused. Official reports confirm 67 dead with 216 or more people injured.

The bombs went off near historic monuments at one of the busiest times of the day. One of the bombs exploded close to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the historic Hawa Mahal (palace of winds). No group has admitted responsibility for the attack.

After the blasts, Indian Home Ministry sources said that a Bangladesh-based organization, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) or "Action for Islamic Jihad", was suspected to be behind the attack. The Rajasthan Director General of Police stated that it was "obviously a terror attack".

The bombings

The following areas were bombed using RDX placed in bicycles:

• Badi Choupar
• Manak Chowk Police Station area
• Johari Bazar
• Tripolia Bazar
• Choti Choupar
• Kotwali area

Aftermath

A curfew was imposed in parts of Jaipur and the state government of Rajasthan has ordered all units of police to maintain extra vigilance across the state. The Government of India has also deployed several units of the elite National Security Guards in Jaipur to aid the law and order forces in the city. 400 men from Rapid Action Force were also being sent. A few hours after the blasts, India declared high alert across several major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras). Security in other major Indian tourist destinations like Panaji and Agra was also increased. Delhi Police has also sent a team to Jaipur to check whether the terrorist attacks there had any links with previous terrorists attacks in Delhi.

Investigations

India has ordered an inquiry into the blasts while the Indian Home Ministry has raised concerns that certain 'foreign elements' might be behind the bombings.

4 people were detained for questioning by Rajasthan police regarding the blasts. Initial police investigations suggested the involvement of several Islamic militant organizations like Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, Student's Islamic Movement of India or Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba. Concerns are also being raised about the possible involvement of al-Qaida.

The Indian Police revealed that the bombs planted were of low intensity but by placing them in highly crowded areas, the terrorists had ensured that the death toll would be high. The Times of India quoted Additional Director General of Rajasthan Police officer as saying that the terrorists had planted 'highly explosive RDX' with timers on bicycles, a technique which was also used during the terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh in November, 2007 (in which the involvement of Bangladesh's Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami is also suspected). The police said that they had identified the people who had sold bicycles to the attackers. In a statement, militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba denied its involvement in the attacks.

Police officials say that the bomb blasts in Jaipur follow patterns similar to those observed during the bomb blasts in Delhi and Varanasi. A United States State Department report had listed India as the country worst affected by terrorism with 2,700 terrorism-related deaths in 2007 alone.

Domestic reactions

The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, pledged the Government of India's support to the state government of Rajasthan and the victims' families while the President of India, Pratibha Patil expressed her grief at the loss of lives in the blasts and appealed for calm. Indian Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, conveyed his condolences to the victims' families. The Government of India announced 100,000 INR compensation to the next kin of those dead in the terrorist attacks and 50,000 INR ex gratia to those seriously injured. An emergency meeting of Indian cabinet ministers was also held later during the day. Foreign Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, said he was going to raise the issue of 'cross-border terrorism' with Pakistan's government during his visit to Islamabad next week. Indian Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, said that the blasts won't affect India's business climate.

The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, said "I condemn this blast. They have tried to ruin the communal harmony of the state but they will not succeed. Never in the history of Rajasthan such a heinous incident has happened and this is not an attack on the state but on the nation". She also added, "there are some slender leads on which the state agencies are working and its difficult to name any terror outfit at present". The Chief Minister also laid emphasis on a new anti-terror legislation either similar to POTA or to the one in the neighbouring state of Gujarat. She also criticised the President of India for not signing an anti-terror bill passed by the Rajasthan state assembly in 2006. Raje also expressed her concern that the terrorist attacks in Jaipur will negatively affect the tourism industry there.

India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, blamed the United Progressive Alliance-government for not taking adequate measures against terrorism in India and re-newed calls for POTA were made.

International reactions

• Pakistan - Pakistan's Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, released the following statement, "Pakistan condemns all acts of terrorism and reaffirms its firm commitment to fight this scourge together with the international community. " Pakistan also proposed an 'anti-terrorism strategy' with India.

• United States - The US State Department said in a statement, "There is no justification for the murder of innocent people. The United States stands with India in the fight to eliminate the scourge of terrorism." The United States has also offered Indian security and intelligence agencies assistance in probing the attacks.

• United Nations - UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said, "He [Ban Ki-moon] strongly condemns such terrorist attacks, and sends his heartfelt sympathies to the Government of India and to the families of the victims."

• European Union - In a statement the European Union members offered their "deepest condolences to the families of the victims." The EU also added, "These attacks clearly demonstrate that terrorism is a serious threat to all states and to all peoples. No cause, no grievance can justify acts of terrorism."

• United Kingdom - British Foreign Minister David Miliband said, "Bombings in Jaipur have shown again the horrific destruction which terrorism brings. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and with those injured. There can never be any justification for acts of indiscriminate violence such as these, and I utterly condemn those who have perpetrated Tuesday's attacks. The UK will continue to stand with the government and people of India against terrorism in all its manifestations."

• Israel - Israeli embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that Israel understood the "enormity of the tragedy" and that "Israel extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and its wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured." The Israeli government also said that it was up to the [international] community to act in a "concerted and unified manner" to fight terrorism.

• Afghanistan - Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, said he "understood India's pain" and that his government stands by the people of India in this hour of tragedy.

• France - France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said "I wish to express my indignation and repugnance at the wave of attacks that have plunged the city of Jaipur into mourning. France is more than ever willing to intensify cooperation with India in the anti-terrorist struggle. Today we are at the side of India and the Indian people in the face of this inconceivable horror. We wish to assure the Indian government of our full support."

• Australia - Australia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "the attack on a democratic, tolerant, open society is repugnant. Australian and Indian law enforcement agencies continue to work together in our common fight against terrorism."