Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Two days after a bomb attack on an Israeli embassy car in the heart of national capital left a woman diplomat seriously wounded, the intelligence agencies have now directed their probe to determine a possible Lebanon connection to the incident.
In view of the known Iran-Israel hostility, the investigators probing the incident have now focused their probe on Lebanese students residing in the national capital to determine if they are, even remotely, connected to Lebanon-based terror outfit Hezbollah.
The security agencies are trying to verify the vital info, which they have reportedly received from Israel, about 50 suspicious Iranian and Lebanese nationals, who might be living in disguise of student to carry out such attacks.
Therefore, the security officials are maintaining a close vigil at all places including hostels and residential colonies where Lebanese students reside.
Hours after the attack on its diplomats in India and Georgia, the Israelis accused Iran and Lebanon-based terror outfit Hezbollah for the assault. However, Iran later vehemently denied the accusations.
What has prompted the investigators to probe the Lebanese angle is the viewpoint held by Israelis that the assault on its diplomats could be handiwork of Iranians, who may be engaged in a tit-for-tat. It is widely believed across the world that Israeli agents carried out repeated limpet mine attacks against Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran, killing a few crucial figures. These strikes initially seemed mysterious but international experts eventually zeroed in on Israel, which aims to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Hence, the Indian investigators have reasons to believe that Iran or Hezbollah may be involved in the attack on Israeli diplomats in the two countries.
Although, the investigators have no proof yet to name any country or foreign terror group for the attack, they are not ruling out any possibility.
Importantly, the forensic report regarding the incident has also been sent to the Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, the forensic experts from Israeli spy agency Mossad are also expected to arrive in the country today to assist their Indian counterpart in probing the incident.
As a precautionary measure, Delhi police have called for an urgent review of security arrangements in highly protected zones and the security cover given to VVIPs.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that Monday’s attack on an Israeli embassy car was carried out using a bomb with a magnetic base.
Later, Union Home Secretary RK Singh said there was no evidence to suggest involvement of any country in the bomb attack on an Israeli diplomat here.