Delhi Bombers Planned Drone Attacks Like Hamas, NIA Probing 'Shoe Bomber' Angle
The latest arrest has been identified as Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, a resident of Qazigund in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Stepping up its investigation into the Red Fort suicide bombing, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested another Kashmiri resident and uncovered a plan by the Jaish module to carry out Hamas-style drone attacks and build small rockets for serial blasts.
The latest arrest has been identified as Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, a resident of Qazigund in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district. As reported earlier, he had been detained for questioning. The NIA described him as a key associate of suicide bomber Umar Un Nabi, adding that he was taken into custody from Srinagar by a team investigating the case.
According to the agency, Wani played a crucial technical role in modifying drones and experimenting with rocket-making ahead of the deadly car bomb attack. The drones were intended to carry cameras, batteries and compact but powerful explosives designed for triggering blasts in crowded public areas. The plot, however, was derailed after the module was busted. Investigators say the planned attacks mirror tactics used by terror outfits such as Hamas and ISIS in conflict zones, including Syria, Iraq, Israel and Afghanistan.
NIA Explores ‘Shoe Bomber’ Angle
Officials said Wani had closely coordinated with Umar Un Nabi in planning the attack. Multiple NIA teams are now pursuing leads across states to identify others involved.
During interrogation, Wani, a political science graduate, reportedly told investigators he first met members of the so-called doctor module in October last year at a Kulgam mosque. He also disclosed that Umar summoned him to his rented accommodation linked to Al Falah University in Faridabad to prepare for the assault.
On Sunday, NIA had arrested another Kashmiri, Amir Rashid Ali of Pampore, in whose name the i20 car used in the blast was registered.
Meanwhile, investigators are probing whether Umar operated as a shoe bomber after a shoe was found under the i20’s driving seat near the right front tyre. The discovery has drawn parallels with the 2001 Richard Reid case, where a TATP-laden shoe was used in an attempted mid-air explosion.
Forensic teams have detected traces of TATP in both the shoe and the tyre, and have also recovered metallic components suspected to be part of a triggering mechanism. Evidence of additional explosive material was also found under the car’s rear seat, indicating multiple explosive elements may have been involved.
The NIA’s investigation is ongoing, with searches and interrogations continuing in several states as authorities attempt to piece together the full conspiracy behind the attack.
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