NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir police have retrieved a mobile phone belonging to Dr Umar-un-Nabi, the Red Fort suicide bomber. The data extracted has provided disturbing evidence that he created a video justifying the suicide attack as a ‘martyrdom operation.’ This crucial evidence emerged following the detention and questioning of Zahoor Illahi, Umar’s brother, who drove the explosive-laden vehicle that detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals, officials reported on Tuesday. Illahi was apprehended by a specialized team led by senior superintendent of police (Srinagar) GV Sundeep Chakravarthy as the broader white-collar terror module conspiracy began to unfold.
Initially claiming ignorance, Illahi eventually succumbed to intensive questioning and informed his interrogators that Umar, who was in the Kashmir valley from October 26 to 29, had instructed him to dispose of the mobile phone in water if any news about him emerged, officials stated. Illahi then guided the police to the location where he discarded the phone. Although the device was damaged, forensic experts successfully recovered significant data, indicating Umar’s profound radicalization through exposure to extremist content, which included viewing radical videos related to suicide bombings by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda.
Umar had also recorded several videos of himself discussing the suicide attack, asserting that such actions are among the most revered in the religion. The recordings were made in April of this year, featuring the 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama in Kashmir speaking in a thick accent. He depicted suicide bombings as ‘martyrdom operations’ and claimed that these acts are not only allowed but are seen as commendable within the context of jihad, authorities noted. A nearly two-minute video of Umar circulated on social media, showing him struggling to express his thoughts clearly, often stumbling throughout the recording, before abruptly ending it. This video is part of a larger compilation where Umar seems to be practicing his statements.
The phone has been transferred to the National Investigation Agency for further examination, with officials mentioning that the NIA will soon take custody of Illahi. Umar is believed to be the most radicalized and pivotal operative in a network that extended across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. By piecing together the evidence and testimonies related to the car explosion, officials alleged that Umar was planning a significant Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack, potentially timed for the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, targeting a crowded area or a site of religious significance. The inter-state network was uncovered following the emergence of Jaish-e-Mohammed posters in Bunpora, Srinagar, on October 19.
The thorough investigation by Srinagar police commenced by reviewing CCTV footage, leading to the arrest of three locals with prior involvement in stone-pelting incidents. Their interrogations subsequently resulted in the arrest of Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic turned Imam, who allegedly provided the posters and contributed to the radicalization of the implicated doctors.