Major cities on high alert after blast in mosque killing seven people

New Delhi, 18 may 2007. - Authorities in India said today the state of alert in major cities, after the attack that has claimed the lives of seven people in a crowded mosque in Hyderabad (south) in which a bomb exploded as thousands of faithful prayed.
The explosive, "unsophisticated" and was kept in a lunch box, police said, was detonated with a mobile phone at 13.25 local time (07.55 GMT) in the Mecca Mosque of Hyderabad.
Following the explosion killed seven people and wounded 35 others.
After moving to the area, security forces found two unexploded ordnance, which were deactivated.
"It seems to be a terrorist act," said Indian Minister Shivraj Patil.
Inside the mosque were some 10,000 faithful, full day of prayer, who fled in panic when they hear the detonation, while the wounded were taken to hospital for care Osmania.
Police later cordoned off the area where he was deployed a Rapid Action Battalion in riot gear trying to control the protests of hundreds of Muslim worshipers who threw stones at security forces.
The Mecca Mosque, apart from one of the largest Islamic centers and old from all over India, is considered sacred by the devotees of this religion in Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh, where Muslims account for 10 percent of the population .
Although the police have not yet revealed any details about the authorship, the attempt has awakened the ghosts of religious conflicts affecting the country from time to time, hence the authorities are quick to declare a state of alert in the major cities shortly after the explosion.
In Bombay (Western India), protesters stoned several buses, but local police said the situation was under control, while in the national capital, New Delhi, the authorities tightened security in religious institutions, train stations and metro stations, bus terminals and shopping centers.
"It has been declared a high alert level because of what happened in Mecca Mosque. Police surveillance is kept constant, "a police source in Calcutta (east), was quoted as saying India PTI.
Security forces have not made ​​public any theory about the motive for the attack, although India has suffered similar actions in the past, such as occurred in the western town of Malegaon on September 8, 2006.
At that time, two bombs placed near a mosque, also in day of prayer, killed 31 people in a town that had suffered severe religious conflicts in the past.
But also today the explosion occurred the same day as the special court which will hear the bloody Mumbai attacks 14 years ago had to start giving the first convictions.
The slaughter of Bombay, which killed 257 people, occurred on March 12, 1993, when thirteen bombs exploded in a chain trains as a group called revenge for the thousands of Muslim killed by Hindu extremists in the riots following the demolition of an old mosque.
In the absence of a final version, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, YS Rajshekhar Reddy, who was visiting New Delhi and travels back to Hyderabad.
"In the last two and half months, we received some information that some elements 'antisocial' were trying to break the peace. We take all measures, but still these things happen, "said Reddy told reporters.

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