Al-Qaeda Behind Red Fort Blasts: UNSC Report

A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report stated that ‘Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’ (AQIS) was involved in the blast near Delhi’s historic Red Fort in November last year. The report noted that AQIS has evolved from a fractured splinter group into a regional terrorist organization. It explained that the group operates through a decentralized network of small cells and has developed its own logistics and financial infrastructure. The UNSC also expressed concern over AQIS’s attempts to establish cells in Bangladesh.

“Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent continues to evolve from a splintered group into a regional terrorist outfit. Operating through decentralized, compact cells rather than large units, it has established strong logistics and financial networks. It has been officially confirmed that AQIS was responsible for the attack near the Red Fort in Delhi last November,” the UNSC report highlighted.

The report further mentioned that Al-Qaeda and ISIL have shown interest for years in developing chemical and biological agents. However, both terrorist organizations have so far been unable to overcome the technical challenges involved in weaponizing these materials. It clarified that instructions for developing chemical and biological agents have been widely circulated within online extremist networks.

An accused in the case, Jaseer Bilal Wani, was identified as a key figure in manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Officials discovered that he created explosives using commonly available market items with the help of YouTube videos and AI chatbots. In their chargesheet, officials noted that Jaseer became a central operative in assembling explosives for Al-Ghazwa-ul-Hind—a terrorist outfit affiliated with Al-Qaeda’s India-focused branch. It was confirmed that Jaseer assisted the terrorists in manufacturing the explosives used in the Red Fort incident.

Key Details from NIA Reports

Nearly 11 people were killed and several others injured in a car bomb blast near the Red Fort in November last year, triggering nationwide alarm. Central agencies subsequently confirmed that the incident was part of a broader terrorist conspiracy.

The main accused, Umar un Nabi, converted his flat in Faridabad into a bomb-making laboratory. He purchased chemicals and specialized equipment online under the fake identity ‘Rahul Bhat’. He created accounts on platforms like IndiaMART to order materials required for making explosives. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) stated that he manufactured the bomb using an electrolysis process.

The accused used electrolysis to extract chlorates and perchlorates—key chemical compounds used in explosives—from a simple salt solution. The NIA report detailed that Umar conducted these chemical experiments right inside his apartment.