A purported video of Dr Umar Nabi, the suicide bomber who was driving the “slow-moving” i20 that exploded near the Red Fort in Delhi, has been gaining traction on social media. In it, he is talking about what he describes as the “very misunderstood” idea behind suicide bombings, adding that it is a “martyrdom in Islam”.

‘Suicide bombing martyrdom in Islam’

“One of the very misunderstood concepts is the concept of what has been labelled as suicide bombing. It is a martyrdom operation and it is known in Islam,” he said in a purported video which is over a minute long. 

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In the video, which he recorded alone in a room, he added what he believes is the correct definition of “martyrdom operation”. 

“Now, there are multiple contraindications; there are multiple arguments that have been brought against it. Martyrdom operation is when a person presumes that he is going for sure die at a particular place, at a particular time, he goes against the presumption that a particular, he is going to die in a particular situation,” he went on to say. 

“It is not, we don’t have, we don’t have a situation,” he ended as the camera pans to show the window in his room.

NIA arrests ‘active co-conspirator’

The video surfaced a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, an alleged “active co-conspirator” in the attack. He was arrested by the NIA in Srinagar. Wani allegedly provided technical support for carrying out terror attacks by modifying drones and attempting to make rockets ahead of the deadly car bomb blast, the agency said in a statement.

During interrogation, Wani revealed that he was heavily influenced by Umar over several months, who allegedly tried to persuade him to carry out a suicide attack. However, Wani withdrew in April, citing financial hardship and his belief that taking one’s own life was against Islamic teachings.

Wani’s arrest follows the arrest of Amir Rashid Ali, who has been remanded to 10 days of NIA custody and is believed to have worked with suicide bomber Dr Umar Nabi in carrying out the terror attack.