The Mumbai Police on Thursday claimed the accused in the August 25 twin blasts case had links with conspirators in Hyderabad, Ernakulam and Chennai.

Complete coverage of the Mumbai blasts

Joint Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh said the conspiracy was hatched in the Dubai office of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The accused, he said, were brainwashed when they went to perform namaz in mosques.

Singh said the police initially thought the conspiracy was hatched after the Gujarat riots. But investigations revealed the conspiracy was hatched before the riots. A group called the Gujarat Revenge Force had claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Singh named Hanif, wife Fahimida, daughter Farheen, Zahid Patni and Arshad as suspects in the case. They, however, were yet to be arrested in the case, though they have been arrested in July 28 bomb blast case.

Co-accused Nasir was killed in a police encounter recently.