This was disclosed by the nine JMB militants arrested in the district earlier. But police remained tightlipped about identity of the other parties.

During interrogation by police and other security personnel, they also named some militants including 'kingpins' involved in the incident.

A list of 35 hardcore JMB activists in Satkhira have been prepared and a manhunt for them has been launched by police and security agencies in the district, police said.

The nine now in custody confessed to their involvement in the August 17 serial bomb blasts and gave important information, police said. They are Nasir Uddin, Maniruzzaman Munna, Anisur Rahman Khokon, Monwar Hossain Ujjal, Mahbubur Rahman Liton, Alamgir Hossain, Indian national Gias Uddin, Mamunur Rashid and Riaz Uddin.

Of them, Nasir, Munna, Ujjal, Khokon, Gias and Liton in their confessional statements named JMB regional leader Fakar Uddin Razi of Patharghata, JMB 'coordinator' Nayeem of Putuni, its local leaders Obaidur Rahman of Satani, Noor Ali of Budhhata, Ala Huzur of Kushkhali, Mahbub and at least 30 others who were involved in the blasts.

But none could be arrested. Police said they have gone into hiding after arrest of the nine activists.

According to intelligence sources, JMB is well organised and has strong networks in Satkhira district. They said they got important information about JMB's field-level activities ahead of the August 17 incident.

The 35 wanted people include top militants Fakar Uddin Razi, Nayeem and Ala Huzur.

The militants used at least 25 mosques and madrasas and several houses of JMB leaders in the district as training centres. Several hundreds trained men and women Jihadis (Islamic version of crusaders) are also working under ground.

Intelligence agencies are now gathering more information on the mosques and madrasas used as training centres. Trained militants were preparing for the last four years for an 'armed revolution' to establish Islamic rule in the country and they built strong networks in the district.

Police said arrested Anisur Rahman Khokon was a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student front of ruling coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami. Nasiruddin is a member of Jamaat, arrested Khokon and Nasir told interrogators during quizzing.

Gias Uddin and Fakar Uddin Razi also worked for Jamaat in the last general elections, their neighbours told police, according to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ASP Munshi Atiqur Rahman, IO of the August 17 blast case here.