India: Islamists planned blasts in Mumbai

NEW DELHI, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- India says rebels conspired to trigger serial bomb blasts in four crowded areas in Mumbai, including the historic Gateway of India.

Five suspected militants arrested in connection with recent blasts in Uttar Pradesh state wanted to carry out simultaneous explosions in Mumbai, an Interior Ministry official said. He said the suspects told their interrogators that Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami, which India views as a terrorist organization, was planning to carry out the blasts. The suspects were arrested in connection with the Nov. 23 serial blasts in Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi.

Gateway of India, the suburb of Andheri, Oberoi Hotel and Navi Mumbai were places where these suspected terrorists already carried out dry runs, the official said.

The ultras, however, changed their plans after a group of lawyers in Uttar Pradesh manhandled two Jaish-e-Mohammed militants arrested for hatching a conspiracy to kidnap celebrities, including Rahul Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the official said.