Red Fort Blast: Accused Used Fake ID, AI for Bomb-Making Lab

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered intricate details regarding the November 10, 2025, Red Fort car blast in Delhi, revealing a sophisticated terror plot executed by a module linked to Al-Qaida's Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH). The investigation, culminating in a 7,500-page chargesheet filed in May 2026, highlighted how key accused individuals, primarily educated professionals, leveraged technology and deceptive practices to plan and carry out the attack. The central figure in the blast, Dr. Umer Un Nabi, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, who died in the explosion, was found to have used a fake online identity, 'Mr. Rahul Bhat,' on the e-commerce platform IndiaMART. This alias was crucial for procuring various chemicals and components required for manufacturing explosives, including anodes. He reportedly conducted extensive offline and online research into chemical properties and established a makeshift laboratory in his flat within Al-Falah University premises in Faridabad. This lab was used for experimenting with and manufacturing prototype explosive materials. Further revelations from the NIA probe indicate a significant reliance on modern digital tools for 'terror engineering.' Jasir Bilal Wani, identified as the module's 'in-house IED engineer,' alongside Dr. Umer Un Nabi, reportedly utilized Artificial Intelligence platforms like ChatGPT and video-sharing sites such as YouTube. Their queries included instructions on 'how to make a rocket and in what proportion should the mixture be,' demonstrating a chilling misuse of consumer technology for terror-related activities. The module's approach was described as 'almost laboratory-grade,' involving the testing of rocket IEDs in forests in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. The primary explosive used in the Red Fort blast was Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), commonly known as the 'Mother of Satan,' a highly unstable peroxide explosive. The accused allegedly manufactured TATP clandestinely after repeated experimentation, sometimes extracting urea from urine for bomb-making, and procuring potassium nitrate (from NPK fertilizer) and powdered sugar as ingredients. To maintain the stability of TATP, which is sensitive to temperature, witnesses reported that Umer kept his room extremely cool and used collapsible water bags to keep the prepared explosive under wet conditions. The investigation also revealed that the Red Fort blast was part of a larger, elaborate conspiracy. The accused had conducted reconnaissance of the Red Fort area multiple times between December 2023 and May 2025, viewing it as a 'symbol of the Indian state.' Initially, the bomber, Dr. Umer Un Nabi, attempted to park the explosives-laden car near the 'Lal Mandir' (a Jain temple) in Chandni Chowk but was diverted due to heavy traffic and police presence, eventually detonating the vehicle near Gate No. 4 of Red Fort. Beyond Delhi, the module had plans for a series of terror attacks targeting other significant landmarks. Two key accused, Dr. Muzammil Shakeel and Dr. Shaheen Saeed (identified as a financier), travelled from Faridabad to Lucknow in August 2025 under the guise of a family trip. During this 'calculated reconnaissance mission,' they surveyed targets such as the legislative assembly, Bapu Bhawan, and other crowded areas in Lucknow, planning to replicate the car bomb attacks there. Muzammil also searched for chemical shops in Lucknow to procure TATP precursors. Other potential targets identified by the module included India Gate, Constitution Club, Gauri Shankar Temple, Ayodhya, Varanasi, hospitals, and crowded areas, with a larger aim of carrying out 26/11-style synchronized attacks. The terror network operated with a high degree of digital anonymity. The accused used ghost SIM cards issued in the names of unrelated civilians or forged documents, alongside a multi-phone system for encrypted communication. Encrypted messaging apps, such as the 'Sessions app,' were used to communicate with cross-border handlers located in places like Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Radicalization materials, including 'Lone Mujahid Pocket Book/How to Become an Assassin' by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the 'Inspire' digital magazine, played a significant role in their indoctrination. Tragically, the blast resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people and injured numerous others, damaging several vehicles and nearby structures. The NIA's investigation confirmed that Dr. Umer Un Nabi deliberately triggered the explosion using a 'command mechanism' connected to a piezoelectric plate attached to his shoe, ruling out an accidental detonation. The blast was reportedly triggered prematurely and in panic, following arrests made by security forces in Srinagar, indicating a desperate act to dodge apprehension. The module, often dubbed the 'white-collar' module due to the involvement of medical professionals, aimed to overthrow the democratically elected government and impose Sharia law in India.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Full Story on Quick Digest