The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Jasir Bilal Wani, an accused co-conspirator in the Red Fort car blast that claimed 13 lives, raising alarms about a broader interstate Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) network. Authorities detained Wani in Srinagar on Monday, linking him to suicide bomber Umar un Nabi and revealing a complex web of terrorism.
Wani, 27, hails from Qazigund in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Officials accuse him of providing critical technical support for terror operations, specifically in modifying drones and fabricating rockets before the deadly November 10 explosion. Known by the alias Danish, his connection to Umar solidifies the links between various operatives within this alarming terrorist framework.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the NIA disclosed that Wani collaborated closely with Umar to orchestrate the attack. The agency is currently exploring multiple avenues to uncover the extensive conspiracy behind the blast in India’s capital. NIA teams are pursuing leads and conducting searches across states to track down potential co-conspirators involved in the plot.
In a shocking revelation, Wani shared during interrogation that Umar had been instrumental in radicalizing him over an extended period. He revealed that their relationship deepened after meeting a notorious group dubbed the “Doctor module” in October last year at a mosque in Kulgam. Following this, he was relocated to a rented space near Al Falah University in Faridabad for further indoctrination.
Initially, the broader module envisioned Wani as an Over-ground Worker (OGW) for the banned JeM, but Umar attempted to recruit him as a suicide bomber. The plan fissured in April when Wani opted out, influenced by financial concerns and the belief that such acts violated Islamic principles.
Authorities assert that this attempt to recruit Wani underscores a hazardous expansion in the investigation into an intricate interstate terror network linked to JeM, amplifying concerns for national security.
Umar, a 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama, has emerged as a central, radicalized figure within the network, which stretches across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Investigators suspect he was on the verge of executing a devastating Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack, potentially timed with the December 6 anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. His goal appeared to be detonating the bomb at a congested location in Delhi or at a religious gathering before vanishing post-attack.
Wani’s earlier statements reveal disturbing details about Umar’s radicalization, which intensified after a trip to Turkiye in 2021 with co-accused Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie. During this trip, they allegedly met with JeM operatives, which became crucial in their plotting efforts. Post-return, both men began procuring significant quantities of dangerous chemicals, including 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, with much of it hidden in proximity to the university campus.
Prior investigations by the Srinagar police, however, intercepted their plans, leading to the arrest of Ganaie and the seizure of explosives. Authorities believe this incident triggered Umar’s anxiety, resulting in the premature execution of the Red Fort attack that tragically killed 13 individuals.
The unraveling of this interstate network began on October 19, when JeM posters surfaced on walls in Bunpora and Nowgam near Srinagar. Following this incident, police registered a case, analyzed CCTV footage, and arrested three locals—Arif Nisar Dar (alias Sahil), Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar (alias Shahid)—all of whom have prior records of engaging in stone-pelting.
The interrogations of these individuals led to the arrest of Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic who had transitioned into an Imam in Shopian. Ahmad allegedly distributed the JeM propaganda and played a vital role in radicalizing the doctors involved in the terror module.