Delhi to Nowgam, a twisted trail of terror networks

The complex reality about Kashmir is that radical Islamist ideology and white collar terror networks coexist with brave policemen and investigators who expose them

- Barkha Dutt

This past week, the twin realities of the Kashmir Valley were on disturbing display. On the one hand, the country confronted the chilling details of the gang of radicalised doctors turned terrorists who fuelled the car bomb blast in the Capital. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) confirmed that the blast in Red Fort was the handiwork of a suicide bomber, Umar un-Nabi.

Since then videos recovered from the bomber’s phone uncover the twisted mind of a terrorist, including one in which he calmly justifies suicide bombings as a ‘misunderstood concept”. In another video — there are reportedly 12 such videos that investigators have recovered — he talks of “defeating India” and claims that inspiration can be drawn from the Afghan Mujahideen, who were able to overthrow world superpowers.

‘At least twelve people, just hapless bystanders, many of them abjectly poor, going about their day's work, have been killed in the Delhi blast. Despite the questionable decision to go public with the busting of a terror module in Haryana’s Faridabad, where 2,900 kilograms of explosives were recovered, the police actually averted a major catastrophe. We know that multiple cities were being targeted: Experts like Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon have pointed out that the ammonium nitrate recovered was enough for 20 bombs, not just the one that caused death and devastation in Delhi.