India Admits Threat from Home-Grown Terrorists

Posted August 4th, 2011 at 2:05 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

India's home minister says a triple bombing in Mumbai last month may have been the work of Indian terrorists.

Palaniappan Chidambaram told Parliament on Thursday that investigators have yet to reach any conclusions but that “all indications” point to an Indian group.

The death toll from the July 13 blasts in Mumbai stands at 26, after some of the wounded died from their injuries. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.

The public admission that domestic terrorists could be to blame for such an attack on Indian soil is rare. But Chidambaram told lawmakers India is not immune to the kind of homegrown terrorism and extremism that has hit other countries.

Chidambaram also said there had been a failure to recognize the growth of Indian groups like SIMI and the Indian Mujahideen.

The home minister called the July 13 Mumbai attack a blot on his record and pledged to improve the country's security and intelligence operations.