Prime accused of Bengaluru Church Street blast arrested

In a major headway more than a year after the Church Street blast in Bengaluru, the National Investigation Agency on Friday arrested the prime accused in the case in which a woman was killed and three others were injured.

The NIA said he wanted to plant an Improvised Explosive Device inside the Coconut Grove Bar and Restaurant as per instruction from his handler who had informed him about the probable visit of an Israeli delegation for dinner on December 28, 2014.

"The NIA has today arrested one Mohd. Rafeeq alias Jaweed alias Alam Jeb Afridi, S/o Masukar Ahmad, resident of Ahmedabad, for his involvement in the Church Street Blast Case of Bangalore," the agency said.

A NIA special court in Bengaluru has remanded Afridi to 10-day NIA custody for his custodial examination, it said.

A blast was triggered by an IED in front of the popular restaurant located on a busy road in the heart of the city in the night.

The NIA said Afridi, a Student’s Islamic Movement of India cadre, was also wanted in a case relating to organisation of a terrorist training camp by the group at Waghamon in Kerala.

He had been absconding for more than five years and a reward of Rs 3 lakh had been announced by the NIA for any information leading to his arrest, it said in a release.

Afridi had been residing on outskirts of Bengaluru for nearly three years and was working as a air conditioners mechanic, the NIA said.

During custody, he has confessed to his involvement in the Church Street blast case of Bengaluru, it said.

The case was initially investigated by the city police and later handed over to the NIA.

The probe did not see any headway under the police even after they claimed to have zeroed in on some terror groups and sketches of suspects being drawn.