With the police identifying three Iranians suspected to be involved in the bombing of an Israeli diplomat's car last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the Iranian Ambassador Syed Mehdi Nabizadeh to South Block on Friday and requested his government's cooperation in unravelling the plot.
On a day when the Delhi police gave an official statement on the developments — ten days after the first arrest in the case — the MEA cautioned against drawing any conclusion, while choosing to use strong words to describe the bomb attack.
Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta said the arrested Indian journalist, Syed Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi, had been in touch with one of the Iranian suspects and his motive was money. Mr. Kazmi's son Turab Ali refuted the charge and said the money he received was sent in several transactions by his relatives working in Dubai and Sharjah. “It is not a huge amount and all of it is accounted for.” He would soon produce the evidence, he said.
At a press conference, Mr. Gupta identified the three suspected Iranians as Houshang Afshar Irani, Seyed Ali Mahdian and Mohammad Reza Abolghasemi. Although he did not reveal who was the bomber, police officers said it was perhaps Irani who had attached the bomb to the Israeli Embassy car.
Drawing a link between the car blast and the explosions in Bangkok a day after, Mr. Gupta said technical investigations revealed that Irani was in contact with the suspected head of a module active in Thailand who was intercepted in Malaysia after the arrest of two alleged accomplices in Bangkok for a similar but failed attempt.
“The arrest of Mr. Kazmi and his questioning led to the unravelling of the conspiracy of which he was a part. He also acted as a facilitator and was instrumental in the surveying of the Israeli Embassy and its surrounding areas by the Iranian suspects,” said Mr. Gupta.
Regular contact
According to the Police Commissioner, Mr. Kazmi disclosed that he twice went to Iran last year and was asked on both occasions by two of the suspects to provide assistance in India as and when required.
Stating that Irani was in regular contact with Mr. Kazmi, the police chief said the duo conducted reconnaissance of the Israeli Embassy and surrounding areas on a scooterette, which was later impounded from the scribe's residence. “The vehicle was bought by Irani from a Karol Bagh-based dealer. We have recovered documents to that effect,” said the Police Commissioner.
Mr. Kazmi, who is in police custody, is said to have disclosed that the Iranians on their own also surveyed the area housing the Israeli Embassy using Mr. Kazmi's car, which has been impounded. “His associates were specifically interested in the vehicles and routes used by Israeli diplomats,” said Mr. Gupta. Mr. Kazmi booked the return ticket for one of them and documents to this effect had been seized from the travel agency concerned.
Mr. Gupta said the arrested scribe's wife had so far received unaccounted foreign remittances of Rs.18.78 lakh and Mr. Kazmi Rs.3.8 lakh.
In a statement, the MEA spokesperson said: “Warrants for arrest of these persons have been issued and the process of issuing red-corner notices has been initiated. Investigations in the case are going on and no conclusions can be drawn at this stage. We have informed the Iranian Ambassador of these developments so as to seek cooperation.”
@Arshi Khan: What does Palestinian or Syrian cause has to do with India seeking Iran's help in nabbing the suspects who have reportedly fled to Iran after the recent attack?
Since it is open season for asking irrelevant questions, let me ask one of mine. Where were Palestinians or Syrians or Lebanese during Kargil war when Israel came to India's rescue by supplying laser-guided munitions that were instrumental in removing the Pakistani forces occupying the Kargil peaks and without the Mirage plane and precision ammunition it was near impossible to remove the Pakistani occupiers from Indian territory?
Perhaps for a change, we the Indian citizens should put India's national interests first priority as opposed to Palestinian or Lebanese?
It is quite disappointing to note that India one of the foundational
members of the Non-Aligned Movement and the SAARC seems to be
excessively engaged with Israel which has neither liberated Palestinians nor gave back the Golan Heights to Syria or the Sheeba Farm to Lebanon. Israel is on record of violating international laws and mainly the UN Charter and all the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Every week, it is violating the rights of Palestinians by various unlawful methods. We had established full diplomatic relations in 1992 on the basis of Israeli promise that it will do justice with Palestinians. the statement of the police with regard to Kazmi is baseless and doctored as the whole exercise to pacify Israel. Why are we, mainly policy makers and the media are so much Israel-savy? My only submission is that our support to Israel should be rational and fair and must reflect the fact that at least India's relations with Israel is guided by our independence not congruence.
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