Suspected terrorist involved in Delhi, Gujarat blasts arrested after exchange of fire with Delhi Police

The Delhi Police arrested on Monday a man suspected of being involved in 2008 serial blasts in Gujarat and Delhi after an exchange of fire.

Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqeer, an alleged co-founder of terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM), was listed in the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) most-wanted list. Special commissioner of police (special cell), MM Oberoi said Qureshi was arrested after a tip on his movements in Delhi.

A special cell officer said Qureshi -- said to be the IM’s top bomb-maker -- held the top rank in the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) after the arrest of its general secretary Safdar Nagori from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore in March 2008.

Qureshi is also suspected to be involved in the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings. He is also believed to be the “al-Arbi” who signed the emails issued by the IM after the terror strikes.

Qureshi and Riaz Bhatkal of Karnataka collaborated with the SIMI cell led by Atif Ameen, the mastermind of September 13, 2008 serial blasts, to carry out the Delhi blasts, according to investigators. Special cell sleuths say Qureshi not only assembled the bombs that were used in the Ahmedabad serial blasts in July 2008 but also trained other IM operatives instrumental in serial Delhi bombings in making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

In 2008, 21 bomb blasts hit Ahmedabad and Surat on 26 July within a span of 70 minutes. Fifty-six people were killed and over 200 people were injured. The blasts were low intensity, and were similar to the Bangalore blasts, which occurred the day before.

The chargesheet, filed in 2010, named 95 people as accused. They belonged to 11 different states and were arrested at different times.