BOMBAY, India - A little-known Islamic militant group that claimed responsibility for the Bombay train bombings warned Tuesday that it was planning attacks against government and historic sites in India in an e-mail to an Indian television station. Also, the death toll in the July 11 bombings was raised to 207.
The death toll has fluctuated since the explosions a week ago on packed commuter trains. It rose Tuesday from 182 to 207 after officials added people who died after being taken to hospitals in Thane, a town outside Bombay.
"All of them are blast victims," said B.M Raut, a disaster management official in the state government of Maharashtra, were Bombay is located.
The group claiming responsibility, Lashkar-e-Qahhar, Lashkar-e-Qahhar first claimed responsibility for the bombings in an e-mail Saturday to Aaj Tak television, although investigators say they are still trying to verify the claim.
The group on Tuesday addressed doubts about its initial claim of responsibility, and added that it plans to provide audio and video proof that it carried out the series of bombings that ripped through Bombay's packed commuter rail network during the evening rush hour.
Lashkar said in the e-mail, provided to The Associated Press by Aaj Tak, that 16 people took part in the July 11 attacks in Bombay ââ¬â also known as Mumbai ââ¬â and that one of them was killed.
But "all the remaining 15 mujahideens (sic) are totally safe, and celebrating the success of this mission and also preparing for the next mission," said the e-mail, which was written in poorly punctuated and often ungrammatical English.
"We also request all the Muslim brothers and sisters of India to (not) go near the main historical, governmental and the monumental places of India (especially in Delhi and Mumbai) in future," the e-mail said. "Otherwise, they get hurt too."
Bombay is also known as Mumbai.
Indian police said they were trying to verify the authenticity of the e-mail.
Lashkar-e-Qahhar, which translates as the "Army of Terror," was unknown until it claimed responsibility for the March 7 bombings in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi that killed at least 20 people.
Investigators believe the group may be a front for Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, an Islamic militant group based in Pakistan that has long fought Indian rule in Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim Himalayan region.
The group is clearly aware of doubts surrounding its claim of being behind the blasts.
"We are surprised, why some media groups and peoples are disclaiming our responsibility?" the e-mail said.
"Therefore it has become necessary for Lashkar-e-Qahhar to prove our claim," it said. "Very soon, we will send you an audio/video tape regarding Mumbai blasts."
The e-mail was signed by a man calling himself Abu Mahaz, who identified himself as Lashkar's spokesman and the head of its "media group."
The death toll has fluctuated since the explosions a week ago on packed commuter trains. It rose Tuesday from 182 to 207 after officials added people who died after being taken to hospitals in Thane, a town outside Bombay.
"All of them are blast victims," said B.M Raut, a disaster management official in the state government of Maharashtra, were Bombay is located.
The group claiming responsibility, Lashkar-e-Qahhar, Lashkar-e-Qahhar first claimed responsibility for the bombings in an e-mail Saturday to Aaj Tak television, although investigators say they are still trying to verify the claim.
The group on Tuesday addressed doubts about its initial claim of responsibility, and added that it plans to provide audio and video proof that it carried out the series of bombings that ripped through Bombay's packed commuter rail network during the evening rush hour.
Lashkar said in the e-mail, provided to The Associated Press by Aaj Tak, that 16 people took part in the July 11 attacks in Bombay ââ¬â also known as Mumbai ââ¬â and that one of them was killed.
But "all the remaining 15 mujahideens (sic) are totally safe, and celebrating the success of this mission and also preparing for the next mission," said the e-mail, which was written in poorly punctuated and often ungrammatical English.
"We also request all the Muslim brothers and sisters of India to (not) go near the main historical, governmental and the monumental places of India (especially in Delhi and Mumbai) in future," the e-mail said. "Otherwise, they get hurt too."
Bombay is also known as Mumbai.
Indian police said they were trying to verify the authenticity of the e-mail.
Lashkar-e-Qahhar, which translates as the "Army of Terror," was unknown until it claimed responsibility for the March 7 bombings in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi that killed at least 20 people.
Investigators believe the group may be a front for Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, an Islamic militant group based in Pakistan that has long fought Indian rule in Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim Himalayan region.
The group is clearly aware of doubts surrounding its claim of being behind the blasts.
"We are surprised, why some media groups and peoples are disclaiming our responsibility?" the e-mail said.
"Therefore it has become necessary for Lashkar-e-Qahhar to prove our claim," it said. "Very soon, we will send you an audio/video tape regarding Mumbai blasts."
The e-mail was signed by a man calling himself Abu Mahaz, who identified himself as Lashkar's spokesman and the head of its "media group."
