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Kingpin in Red Fort attack arrested

The special branch of the Delhi police raided a house in Gazipur under Kalyanpuri police station on Christmas night and arrested 28-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed and his wife Rehmana for their alleged role in the Red Fort shootout on Friday.

Special Commissioner of Police R K Sharma told a crowded press conference on Tuesday evening that while Ashfaq was an active participant, his wife knew about his activities.

"He was an experienced Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant sent to Delhi at the instance of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] in May 2000 to set up a safe house in Delhi for carrying out subversive activities," Sharma said.

According to a press release issued by the police, Ashfaq had good monetary support. "He set up a computer centre in Gafoor Market in Okhala in New Delhi. He spent Rs 600,000 on this and had about Rs 500,000 in his bank account. His wife also has a bank account for more than Rs 280,000," the press release said.

Investigations revealed that Rehmana knew all about the activities of her husband whom she had married recently after he paid her Rs 50,000 for the nikaahnama.

Sustained interrogation of Ashfaq revealed that he was the kingpin in the incident. Others who participated included Abu Shamal, Abu Sadd alias Abu Sajjid, Abu Sakhar, Billal and Haider. "Ashfaq rented a house in Jamia Nagar in Batala House where all other accomplices moved in later. On sustained interrogation he revealed the place where Abu Shamal was hiding. When we reached the place to arrest him, he opened fire on the Delhi police personnel. In the exchange of fire he was killed. Later we recovered an AK-56 rifle, two live hand-grenades and two magazines from the house. The encounter began at 5 in the morning and lasted half an hour," Sharma said.

Ashfaq also led the Delhi police to an AK-56 from the marshy land near the Red Fort and some ammunition. In addition, they recovered a pistol from Ashfaq's residence.

Sharma said the militants had carried out an extensive pre-operation survey. "They went there on the pretext of seeing a light and sound show. As there was no electricity, they took advantage of the darkness and struck, killing three people. They climbed down the eastern boundary wall of the Red Fort, dumped their weapons in two different places and took a three-wheeler and escaped. While Ashfaq and Abu Shamal carried out the attack, the four others were waiting outside to give them cover," he explained.

He said the police were fully aware of the implications of the incident and many more questions needed to be answered. "The arrested militants are being produced before a magistrate to seek their remand. We have been able to identify all those who took part in the operations. We are carrying out investigations and at this stage it would be wrong to give you more details," he said.

When told that the Lashkar had disclaimed the arrested people, Sharma asked, "What else could you expect from them? Surely they are not going to say that we have caught the right people."

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau said the basic spadework was done by the IB and other intelligence agencies. The sources also confirmed that investigations were on the right track and nobody should have any doubt that the person killed or those arrested were not involved in the shootout. "These are the right people," is all that the IB officials were willing to say.

EARLIER REPORT:
Suspect in Red Fort shootout killed

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