Delhi journalist is first arrest in attack on Israeli diplomat

The sources said the man who used the motorcycle to attach a magnetic bomb to the Innova had already left the country. Police suspect the bomber was an Iranian national.

Fifty-year-old Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi,a resident of B K Dutt Colony near Lodhi Colony in South Delhi,was arrested on Tuesday night and produced in a local court today.

Police sources claimed Kazmi was part of the conspiracy but was not aware of the entire plot which was hatched in January 2011. The sources claimed he had received money and had monitored the movements of the embassy vehicle a few days before the attack. A Scooty,alleged used by one of the conspirators,was found parked at his residence.

Kazmi,the sources said,visited Iran seven-eight times in 2011.

Kazmi had been working for IRNA,the Iranian news agency,since 1988,and also wrote in the Milli Gazette,Daily Sahafat,Action Bhopal,Urdu Times and Hamara Samaj. His son said Kazmi had covered the war in Iraq. He is accredited with the Press Information Bureau where he is listed as working for Media Star News Features,New Delhi.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has been given custody of Kazmi till March 27.

Public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan told the court: “This is a case of international terrorism. It is not necessary that only Indians are involved in this case. There is a possibility that some foreign nationals might be involved in the case. We have already recorded statements of the eyewitnesses to the incident. The conspiracy was hatched outside India. We do not want to disclose all information in the open court as the main accused,who is yet to be arrested,could go out of reach of the probe agency.”

The prosecutor said that an explosive device was used in the attack,that the explosion in the vehicle was not an accidental act. Everything was carried out in a well-planned way,he said.

Kazmi’s counsel Vijay Aggarwal,who met him for ten minutes,told the court: “He has visited Iraq and Iran several times. He was the best possible witness for them (police).”

Kazmi was detained by police around noon Tuesday as he emerged from the India Islamic Cultural Centre on Lodhi Road. His family said he was returning home to offer namaaz.

Police said they recovered a laptop and some documents from his house. Ten days after the February 13 attack on the Israeli diplomat,Kazmi left for Syria as a member of a journalists’ delegation to cover the unrest there.

Police said they zeroed-in on Kazmi after analysing his phone calls to Iran. Police said he was a regular visitor to the Iran Embassy — his family said that since he was working for an Iranian news agency,it was natural for him to go there.

A police officer said: “He was the one who tracked the vehicle of the Israeli diplomat for a few days before the attack. He provided the group with logistical help,but did not know all the details. One of the accused also came to his house about two months ago where he left behind a Scooty with a Haryana registration number. This Scooty was also used in planning the attack. Seven-eight persons are involved in this.”