India, Georgia Hunt Bombers Of Israeli Diplomats

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Authorities in Georgia defuse an explosive device that was planted on an Israeli Embassy vehicle in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on February 13.

Indian and Georgian authorities are vowing to hunt down the perpetrators of bombs targeting Israeli diplomats in their countries.

India's interior minister on February 14 described as a "terrorist attack" the February 13 bombing that injured an Israeli diplomat's wife in New Delhi.

Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said it appeared that a "trained" motorcycle rider had attached an explosive device to the back door of an Israeli diplomatic car.

In Georgia, Manana Manjgaladze, a spokesman for President Mikheil Saakashvili, said the investigation of a thwarted bomb attack on an Israeli diplomat's car in Tbilisi was of the "utmost priority" for Georgian law enforcement agencies.

Officials said the Tbilisi bomb was found and defused on February 13 before it could do damage.

Security Boosted

In Israel, police say they have boosted security throughout the country and at Israeli missions overseas following the bombs targeting Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on February 14 that security has been tightened in public areas, foreign embassies, and Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Israel has accused regional rival Iran and its ally, the Lebanese militant group Hizballah, of being behind the bombs.

Tehran has denied involvement.

The standoff comes amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program, which Israel believes is aimed at building weapons to target the Jewish-led state. This is denied by Iran.

Compiled from agency reports