NIA calls Umar 'suicide bomber', nabs key plotter

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said it has arrested one of the main conspirators in the Red Fort blast case - a plumber from Kashmir who owned the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the iconic monument on November 10, killing 11 people as it referred to the driver of the car as a "suicide bomber" for the first time.

- HT Correspondents

In a statement, the federal anti-terror agency said the accused, Amir Rashid Ali, allegedly colluded with “suicide bomber” Dr Umar Un Nabi, who was behind the wheels when the vehicle exploded, to carry out the attack. The NIA said Ali had come to Delhi to allegedly facilitate the purchase of the car, which was eventually used as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) to trigger the blast.

This is also the first time the agency has referred to the car as a "vehicle-borne IED".

"Amir Rashid Ali, in whose name the car involved in the attack was registered, was arrested from Delhi... The accused, a resident of Samboora, Pampore in J&K, had conspired with the alleged suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi, to unleash the terror attack," the statement said.