A day after the attack on an Israeli diplomat here, the Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) were looking into the antecedents of Lebanese students who have arrived in the country over the past few months. A team of Israeli forensics experts is expected to arrive soon in the capital.
Deatils of Lebanese students, sources said, were being carefully looked at after Israel conveyed its “firm suspicion” that Hezbollah cadres could be behind the attack. It is learnt that Israeli officials have also sought Indian assistance in tracking down a list of suspects who could have traveled here from a third country, not necessarily from the Middle-East.
Further, India has agreed to Israel’s request to send its own team of forensics experts to examine the car, its debris and explosive remnants. Just like in the Mumbai case, sources said, the Israeli side was keen to ensure that all leads from the spot are properly examined. There is an understanding that a proper recce had been carried out and so Israel wants to check whether anyone on its list of suspects entered India recently.
Besides this, Israeli inputs from Georgia have still not ruled out the possibility of renegade elements from the anti-Iran terrorist group, Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), switching sides and using their signature modus operandi to conduct these attacks.
As the investigation makes slow progress, Delhi today carefully steered clear of naming any group or national of any particular country as suspects in the case.
–Agencies