Pune blast, Headley’s recce linked, says home secretary

NEW DELHI - Home Secretary G.K. Pillai Monday said there was a link between Saturday’s Pune blast that killed nine people and the recce missions conducted by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) suspect David Coleman Headley, and the government was trying to get access to him.

“The Pune blast investigations are at an initial stage. We are pushing for access to David Headley. We cannot rule in or rule out a foreign hand,” Pillai told NDTV news channel.

“There is a Headley link. It is too close to the Osho Ashram. We have no idea about who did it. We need some more days. The footwork is on,” he said.

The home secretary also indicated the LeT’s Karachi project used Indian Muslims for the attack on German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune, Saturday.

In a separate interview to CNN-IBN channel, Pillai said that arrested Indian Mujahideen operatives had disclosed they were shown videos of surveys done by Headley of the Osho Ashram in Pune.

“No doubt, all these activities are being masterminded from across the border but insofar as the Pune blast is concerned, I would wait for the investigations to reveal the details,” Pillai said.

“Everything is conjecture at this point in time. Most militant groups are mutating and are changing tactics, targets. They are no more predictable,” he added.

Nine people including three foreign nationals - an Italian woman, an Iranian student and a Nepali waiter - were killed and 60 injured Saturday evening in a bombing at the German Bakery, which was frequented by foreigners. The explosive was hidden in a backpack and went off when a waiter attempted to open it.

Headley had surveyed the nearby Osho Ashram and the Jewish Chabad House in 2007-8 when he quietly visited India to pluck out possible spots for attacks for his handlers in the Pakistan-based LeT group.

He was arrested in the US last year and is now in a Chicago prison.