Delhi Blast Case: Suicide Bomber Umar-Un-Nabi Followed ISIS, Differed With Co-Accused Adeel Ahmed Rather Over Al-Qaeda Ideology: Report

New Delhi: As the investigation into the 10 November Delhi blast continues, new revelations are emerging every day. It has now come to light that suicide bomber Umar-un-Nabi, who was driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the iconic Red Fort, had not attended the wedding of co-accused Adeel Ahmed Rather because of ideological differences according to an NDTV report.

Doctor-turned-terrorist Umar followed the ideology of the terror group ISIS, while the other accused believed in Al-Qaeda, the organisation founded by Osama bin Laden.

It was due to this ideological divide that Umar, described as the most radicalised member of the ‘white-collar’ terror network behind the Delhi blast, skipped Adeel’s wedding in Jammu and Kashmir. Adeel has been arrested.

Differences Over Finances & Execution Method

Umar also had disagreements with other members of the module regarding finances and the method of carrying out the attack.

He had reportedly planned to detonate the bomb near the parking area at the Red Fort, a popular tourist spot that also houses a busy market , but ‘panicked’ after the arrests of his associates Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel during the wider investigation into the ‘white-collar’ terror module.

Umar failed to realise that the Red Fort, popularly known as Lal Qila, is closed to visitors on Mondays and found the parking area deserted when he arrived. He waited there for three hours before driving out and detonating the i20 near a traffic signal at the Red Fort Metro Station.

Umar was reportedly handed about ₹26 lakh for explosives and other logistics but became upset when asked to provide details of his expenditure. Umar himself contributed ₹2 lakh, while Adeel provided ₹8 lakh.

Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel, who were also arrested in the Delhi blast case, contributed ₹5 lakh each. In addition, Adeel’s brother Muzaffar Ahmed Rather, who has reportedly fled the country, contributed ₹6 lakh.

Notably, both ISIS and Al-Qaeda share roots in Salafism and Jihadism. However, their core ideologies differ significantly in strategic priorities, use of violence, sectarian approach, and the timing and nature of establishing a caliphate.