Incident Summary:
04/14/2006: Two low-intensity bombs kept in plastic bags detonated in quick succession near the water tank in the main courtyard of the Jama Masjid, India, when around either 1,000 people or far fewer depending on different sources had gathered for evening prayers. The first bomb exploded at 5:26 p.m. near the ablution pond, doing the most damage and causing panic when the second one went off seven minutes later about 15 ft. away, wounding 14 people in all. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but investigators suspect the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bomb-maker Abdul Karim Tunda.
Overview
GTD ID:
200604140008
When:
2006-04-14
Country:
India
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Delhi
City:
New Delhi
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Religious Figures/Institutions |
Name of Entity |
Muslim Community in Delhi |
Specific Description |
Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi |
Nationality of Target |
India |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Other Explosive Type |
Weapon Details |
Forensic examination later revealed the bombs were low-intensity crude devices, possibly made up of ammonium chloride and potassium chlorate, and packed with shrapnel like iron nails and nuts and bolts. One of the bombs, the police suspect, had been kept in a box wrapped in a polythene sheet. The second was believed to be in a black plastic bag. --It was a crude device using acid as timer to set off an explosion with small quantities of phosphorus and sulfur. The quantum of the phosphorus-sulfur mix did not exceed 100 grams. --Police suspected the bomb material had come from a Delhi market and police teams scanned through the main chemical markets. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Many worshippers were performing wazu when the first bomb went off. Blood was seen splattered on the floor and shoes and sandals were lying nearby. Bloodstains of a victim could be seen up to a few meters from the spot. Many victims had shrapnel and splinter injuries, but there were no signs of plastic explosives. --Sources indicates number of injured ranged from 13 to 20. --A red alert had been announced in all communally sensitive (District)s of Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi, Faizabad, Aligarh. --MHA officials were informed by Commissioner K.K. Paul that Abdul Karim Tunda of Lashkar-e Tayyeba may have been involved who had been infamously behind similar attacks in Delhi in 1997-98. Teams consequently searched for associates of Tunda, including Abdul Baqi who had just left prison March 18. But they also looked for Hindu and Sikh militants, and made a point not to jump to conclusions. Two of the suspect detainees later were picked up early 4/15 while the other two were taken in late 4/14. Three were from Delhi while the other was from elsewhere. Ultimately, it was difficult for sources to say what the motive was or if it was related to the Srinagar grenade attacks the four hours earlier, or if the bomb stemmed from internal rivalry in the mosque. --The use of low-intensity bombs led authorities to believe it was not the work of an established group. The fact that the phosphorus-sulphur mix was not excessive led authorities to believe the intent was just to cause panic in the city. Security agencies have no record of terrorists using this mix before. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
4 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 14 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
14 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“Blasts hit India's largest mosque, several wounded,” Agence France Presse -- English, April 14, 2006. |
“More on Twin Blasts at Delhi Mosque; Imam Says Attacks Aim 'To Divide the Society',” New Delhi The Asian Age (Internet Version-WWW) in English, April 15, 2006. |
“Two crude bombs, 12 injured, structure safe,” Hindustan Times, April 14, 2006. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties