Saudi Arabia seeks more evidence on role Fasih in terror acts

Saudi Arabia has asked for more evidence from India about involvement of Fasih Mohammed in alleged terror activities especially in the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in Bangalore and Delhi.

India, which has already sought deportation of Fasih from the Gulf country and also secured an Interpol Red Corner notice, received a communication from Saudi authorities asking the security agencies to clarify his role in the criminal conspiracy to carry out terror activities and his association with the banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, official sources said here today.

An engineer and alleged member of IM, Bihar-born Fasih is alleged to have been involved in the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in Bangalore and the shooting near Jama Masjid (Delhi) in 2010 and is wanted by both Delhi and Karnataka police.

According to the latest missive from Saudi Arabia, security agencies have been asked to submit the case details and statements of the accused arrested in these cases who had named the 28-year-old Fasih, the sources said.

His name cropped up during the interrogation of the alleged terrorists of IM arrested during the last nine months.

Saudi Arabia had already red-flagged his deportation saying it wants to investigate his role before taking a call on New Delhi's request for his custody.

The Gulf country is not happy over the media exposure of its role and cooperation extended to the Indian security agencies in the deportation of Syed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal, one of the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks.

While the Saudi authorities confirmed his detention there, they conveyed that they were closely examining his role and stay in that country.

Saudi authorities said it would take some time for them to decide on Fasih's deportation or extradition to India, the sources said.

Fasih's wife Nikhat Parveen had approached the Supreme Court claiming that her husband was in the custody of central security agencies. Parveen had told the court that her husband was picked up by a joint team of Indian and Saudi officials on May 13 for his alleged terror links, a charge denied by the Government.