Hours after blast, bomb threat call for Tehran flight

Hours after a lowintensity IED blast outside the Israeli embassy in the national capital, a Mahan Air flight to Tehran, scheduled to depart the New Delhi international airport at 12.55am on Saturday, was delayed by more than eight hours following what officials said was an intelligence alert over a bomb threat.

The boarding for the flight was put on hold and all 94 passengers were subjected to security checks again, and their luggage was re-scanned.

An officer with knowledge of the developments said that details of all passengers going to Iran and Iraq from India are being verified in detail. Instructions have also been given to obtain details of passengers who recently arrived in India from the two countries and run a detailed background check on them, the officer said.

An airport official said an intelligence input was received around 11pm on Friday following which the boarding process for Flight W5 070 was put on hold.

“A bomb threat assessment committee was formed and the alert was declared as specific. Bomb detection and disposal squad of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) then scanned the luggage and the aircraft thoroughly. The passengers were again subjected to security check and the flight was declared safe. It finally took off at 8.22am,” an officer said, asking not to be named.

Mahan Air did not respond to HT’S request for a comment.

Another officer said instructions have been given to minutely scan details of all passengers landing in India from Iran or Iraq. The flight manifests of passengers coming in from these countries are being closely monitored.

“After yesterday’s (Friday’s) incident in New Delhi, scrutiny on passengers coming in from selective countries has been increased. Details of passengers who had landed in India in the past few weeks are also being obtained to re-verify their credentials,” the officer said.

During the initial probe into Friday’s blast that took place outside the Israeli embassy in Lutyens’ Delhi, the police found an envelope that purportedly had names of two recently assassinated Iranian nationals.

Commenting on the increased security, deputy commissioner of police (IGIA) Rajeev Ranjan said that along with additional deployment, more pickets to check the incoming vehicles and spotters on watchtowers, they have also armed plainclothesmen deployed at the airport to secure the perimeter.

The CISF has also increased its presence on the airside of the airport and airlines have also been directed to remain vigilant.