IM getting motivation and strength from Pakistan: Shinde

Shinde said the scope of Multi-Agency Centre is now being extended to more than 450 districts across the country

Indian Mujahideen is behind three of the four major blasts in the country this year and is getting motivation and strength from inimical forces in Pakistan, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said here today.

The IM cadre carried out twin blasts in Hyderabad and the series of blasts at Bodhgaya and Patna, he told a three-day Conference of Directors General of Police (DGPs) here, organised by the Intelligence Bureau.

"Indian Mujahiddeen, which draws its motivation and sustenance from inimical forces operating from across the western border, has been responsible for three out of four major terrorist attacks in our hinterland this year," Shinde said.

The Home Minister said the blast in Bangalore was the handiwork of some misguided fundamentalist youth and remnants of Al-Ummah.

Lauding the work of security agencies, Shinde mentioned the arrest of alleged IM mastermind Yasin Bhatkal and Abdul Karim, also known as Tunda, who was also behind a number of bomb blasts in the country.

Terming the arrests as "major breakthroughs", he said it is important that the leads emanating from the investigations are vigorously pursued to apprehend all those associated with this network and stressed the need to be constantly on alert and act in a cohesive manner to deal with these challenges.

Shinde said the scope of Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) is now being extended to more than 450 districts across the country.

"I believe there is a dire need for upward flow of intelligence into MAC for dissemination to stakeholders, which can be achieved by upgrading the capability of Special Branches of state police. This is only possible if states upgrade their Special Branches for which Government of India is prepared to extend all possible help," he said.