Wednesday, April 6 2005 17:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Four militant outfits, who had threatened passengers against travelling by the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar.

A caller introducing himself as Sameer Abdullah, spokesman for al-Nasireen, al-Arifeen, Save Kashmir Movement and Farzandan-e-Millat outfits telephoned news organisations here claiming responsibility for the attack.

He said a two-member special squad of the outfits was involved in the attack, carried out as part of their threat to scuttle Government efforts to harm their "freedom struggle".

The spokesman said more such attacks would be carried out.

On March 30, the four outfits had issued a joint statement warning the people selected to travel on the first and second bus to Muzaffarabad "not to enter the coffin (bus) but if they do, they will find their names in the list of trators". The threat was renewed yesterday (Apr 5, 2005).