A lethal cocktail of chemical pentaerythritol trinitrate (PETN) used for heart ailments to smoothen blood flow, and nitrate-based explosives, were used by terrorists in the high court blast on Wednesday.
The chemical, discovered by German forces in WW1, has become a favourite terror toy
in the hands of Lashker-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al-Qaeda.
The bomb that exploded outside the HC seems to be similar to the one that was kept at the parking lot of the high court on May 25 this year, which did not go off.
In the Wednesday blast, forensic reports suggest use of ammonium nitrate with little amount of TNT or PETN. The May 25 bomb was kept in a bag, while this time the culprit used a briefcase to mingle with the crowd of litigants and lawyers.