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Israeli embassy car blast: Arrested scribe had gone to Syria

March 07, 2012 16:32 IST

The Delhi police may have made one arrest in the Israeli car bombing case on Tuesday night, but they have no reason to relax yet. Although one journalist has been picked up, the Delhi police are only treating him as a suspect for now.

The journalist, identified as Mohammad Ahmed Qazmi was detained for questioning by the Delhi police, who are trying to ascertain what role he may have played in the attack.

The 40-year-old suspect claimed that he was contributing articles to the Islamic Republic News Agency, sources said. He is however not a known figure in Delhi and was aloof by nature, the police added.

During the past couple of weeks he had been regularly in touch with people in Iran and is alleged to have passed on information regarding the attack and the investigations into the case.

"He could have conspired with some agency in Iran it is possible that he knew of the bombing plan," a police source said.

The police added that Qazmi had been to Syria very recently. Although there were several other journalists on that trip, the cops are trying to ascertain the information he had shared during that trip.

A source added that he mostly kept to himself and was not the sort who interacted too much. The source added that he had strong views against Israel and his writings often indicated the same.

The Delhi police however is treading carefully with this case, and hence has not announced any major breakthrough. They have always maintained that there is a lot at stake diplomatically and hence there cannot be any rush unless and until there are definitive clues and leads.
Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru