Security Up at Mumbai's Chabad House, the Jewish Prayer Facility Attacked During 26/11 Terror Strike

In the wake of the IED blast near Delhi’s Israel Embassy, a team of Mumbai police was on Saturday deployed outside Chabad House in Colaba where Jewish toddler ‘baby’ Moshe was rescued during the 26/11 terror attack.

The deployment comes hours after Israeli ambassador to India Ron Malka said that he assumes terror attack had targeted the Israeli Embassy. “The investigation is ongoing, gathering all evidence from the scene. There is full collaboration between Indian and Israeli authorities. As of now, our strong assumption is that it is a terror attack that targeted the Israeli Embassy. Fortunately, nobody was hurt,” Malka said.

“All options are there on the table. Yesterday when this terror attack was conducted, we celebrated the 29th anniversary of the full establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and India, exactly yesterday. So, it may not be a coincidence but all options are being investigated,” he added.

An investigation team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Saturday visited the blast site to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe, sources said. They said the forensic experts have also collected some samples from the crime scene that will ascertain the chemical composition used in the low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED).

Official sources said ball bearings seized from the spot were found scattered on the ground and the impact of the explosion was felt within a radius of 20-25 metres. The minor blast took place on Friday evening in a high-security zone of the national capital. No one was injured.

An envelope addressed to the Israeli Embassy and containing a note was found at the site of the blast, sources had said. A case has been registered and the Delhi Police’s Special Cell is investigating the matter. A 10-member team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had on Friday visited the blast site and collected residues which include metallic swab and ball bearings.

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava too had visited the site in the evening and took stock of the situation. All materials seized from the spot have been handed over to the investigating officer of the Delhi Police, a source said.

“We are yet to receive the samples collected from the spot. Once the investigating officer submits the samples conclusively, we will be sending them to our explosives team. Only a chemical test will help us identify the exact composition of the samples,” FSL sources said. The blast took place when President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present a few kilometres away at the Beating Retreat ceremony at the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations.

Investigators have scanned footage retrieved from CCTV cameras installed nearby and spotted a vehicle moving suspiciously near the embassy just before the explosion, sources said. The explosion took place on a day when India and Israel marked the completion of the 29th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic relations.

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