Indian Fayaz Kagzi identified as Saudi suicide bomber
Indian national Fayaz Kagzi, who blew himself up outside the US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 4, 2016, is still a wanted man for the Interpol and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Saudi Arabia recently confirmed that Kagzi was the human bomb based on DNA tests and forensic analysis, but the CBI, which acts as nodal agency for Interpol and the NIA, still has a Red Corner Notice (RCN) pending against Kagzi.
An RCN is an international arrest warrant circulated among members-countries, listing people wanted for extradition. Names of people listed in the notices are placed on lookout lists. When a person whose name is listed comes to the attention of police abroad, the country that sought the listing is notified through the Interpol and can request either his/her provisional arrest or file a formal request for extradition, officials said.
Kagzi, 36, came from Beed, Maharashtra, and was wanted since 2011. The NIA issued a warrant against him after the arrest of LeT operative Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, in 2012.
“It is possible that the authorities are still in the process of communicating withdrawal of Kagzi’s red corner notice. His identity was confirmed recently,” a senior government official said. The official added that withdrawal in such cases are complete only after confirmation from all the agencies.
The initial suspicion regarding Kagzi’s involvement in the Jeddah attack was raised by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) when his photographs were released by Saudi authorities. A letter rogatory – or a letter of request – was sent, and after several rounds of discussion a team of ATS and Mumbai Forensic Science Laboratory officials collected DNA samples of Kagzi’s family in October 2017, officials said.
Kagzi’s identity was confirmed after Saudi Arabian authorities sought DNA samples of his family members this year.
The Jeddah bomber was initially thought to be Pakistani driver Abdullah Qalzar Khan, 34, who lived in the Saudi port city, before the authorities there informed India that he was in fact Kagzi. His name first came to light in 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case. He and Jundal reportedly fled to Pakistan after the discovery of arms and ammunition.
Kagzi remained elusive until his name again cropped up after Jundal’s arrest in 2012. Jundal, who was codenamed for teaching Hindi to 10 Mumbai 26/11 attackers, told investigators that Kagzi had shifted base from Pakistan to Saudi.