Explosives recovered from the Masjidul Ferdous at Mirpur and Jantkantha office on Friday were identified respectively as a high capacity grenade" and an 'anti-tank mine”, both hav-ing the potential for immense destruction, the defence ministry said yesterday.

Both were "removed and demolished' at the army firing range at Mirpur in the city yesterday. it said.

The anti-tank mine found in a briefcase yesterday at the Janakantha Bhaban was fitted with a digital watch and combination lock.” the Inter-ser-vtces Public Relations (ISPR) said last night in a press statement. "If exploded, the mine could have been very fatal for the building and the men around.'

'Its explosions could have caused serious damages to the building. According to an expert . the debris of the building would have spread upto one hundred metres around, if timely action for detection and disposal was not taken", it said.

"On the other hand, the high capacity grenade found at the Mirpur mosque was also of grave nature It was also fitted with a digital watch. It contained splinters and its dam-

ages could have been more fatal than that had been done by the explosion in a mosque at Khulna on Friday", in which six people were killed and 40 others wounded.

Although two separate cases were filed in connection with the recovery of the explosives in Mirpur and Ramna thanas none had been arrested till filing of this report late last night.

Police and different intelligence agencies of the government were yet to ascertain who passed on the box of sweets, one of which contained the grenade at the Mirpur mosque before the Jummaa prayers for distribution among devotees.

The anti-tank mine was kept in a briefcase, which was left at the reception of the daily Janakantha on Friday afternoon by an unidentified man. who told the reception desk of the newspaper that he would return after having his lunch at around noon. When he did not return police was informed of the briefcase in the evening, police said.

Army bomb experts were not available for comment on the origin of the grenade and the mine.

Until the defence ministry

cleared the confusion about the nature of the explosives, police and officials gave contraaicting versions.

The grenade found in the mosque was kept at the middle of a field adjacent to the Grameen Bank office at Mirpur Section-2. The briefcase with the mine was kept at the east end of the road in front of Janakantha building until yesterday afternoon. Securitymen cordoned off both places.

Army experts took both into their custody yesterday afternoon.

Before exploding the explosives army experts examined them and informed the police, DMP commissioner AKM Shamsuddin told the Daily Star yesterday.

Police were investigating into both the cases. The investigating officials have been asked to submit their reports at the earliest possible time, the commissioner said.

The Mirpur thana OC said that the army experts exploded the bombs at Chanmarirbagh firing range at about 5:15pm yesterday.

Two separate cases were filed by the President of the mosque committee Abul Kashem and the Janakantha management.