NIA arrests prime accused in Bengaluru Church Street Blast case

An NIA counsel informed the court that Afridi had admitted to his role in the blast outside the Coconut Grove restaurant on December 28, 2014. The court was informed that the physical profile of a suspect captured on CCTV cameras and identified as the possible bomber matches that of Afridi.

The NIA also said the bomb was placed to kill Israeli diplomats. “His handler, who we are trying to identify, told him some Israeli diplomats were to have dinner there. The information, however, was incorrect,” it said.

According to the NIA, Afridi wanted to plant the bomb inside the restaurant “but was deterred by the presence of staff and planted it outside near the wall.”

The NIA said Afridi had also admitted to his role in an incident of arson at Israeli Visa Centre in Bengaluru. “Anti-semitic literature was recovered from his residence,” the NIA said.

Afridi is linked to eight other cases, including the Ahmedabad blasts of July 2008 that killed 56 people and participation in SIMI meetings, the court was told. He is suspected to be involved in the September 2008 blasts in Delhi.

“Alamzeb Afridi, a SIMI cadre, is also an absconding accused in the NIA case relating to the organisation of a terrorist training camp by SIMI in Kerala,” the agency said in a statement.