Last Updated:November 23, 2025, 13:06 IST

Beyond ideology, disputes over funding reportedly deepened internal rifts. The module had pooled nearly Rs 26 lakh for explosives and logistics.

A deep ideological divide within the terror module behind the November 10 Delhi car blast has come to light, with the alleged bomber, Umar-un-Nabi, distancing himself from co-conspirators due to conflicting extremist beliefs. 

According to an NDTV report, Umar, who drove the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort, even skipped the wedding of fellow accused Adeel Ahmed Rather over disagreements linked to ideology, operational methods and finances.

ISIS vs al-Qaeda 

Investigators say Umar-un-Nabi, a Kashmiri doctor associated with Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad, subscribed to the ideology of the Islamic State (ISIS). In contrast, the other members of the module were aligned with al-Qaeda-backed groups, including Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Though both terror outfits trace their origins to Salafism and violent jihad, their worldviews differ sharply, particularly regarding sectarian violence, global vs regional priorities, and the roadmap to establishing a caliphate. This ideological difference reportedly created tension within the group, leading Umar, described as the “most radicalised” among the cell, to skip Adeel’s wedding in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year.

Despite the friction, Umar later travelled to Qazigund in October to repair ties and align the group’s plans for multiple coordinated blasts, as per reports.

Disputes over finances

Beyond ideology, disputes over funding reportedly deepened internal rifts. The module had pooled nearly Rs 26 lakh for explosives and logistics. Umar was allegedly displeased when asked to provide a detailed expenditure account.

According to investigators, Umar contributed Rs 2 lakh, Adeel Ahmed Rather contributed Rs 8 lakh, Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel provided Rs 5 lakh each. Adeel’s brother, Muzaffar Ahmed Rather, now believed to have fled India, added Rs 6 lakh.

These disagreements extended to the method of attack, with Umar insisting on a more dramatic operational approach.

How the attack unfolded?

The blast on 10 November killed 14 people and injured several others near the Red Fort Metro Station. Umar originally intended to detonate the car bomb inside the Red Fort parking area, a bustling location near popular markets.

However, he reportedly panicked after learning that co-accused Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel had been arrested earlier that day in connection with the wider “white-collar” terror module. When he arrived at the Red Fort, he found it shut due to Monday closures and noticed the absence of crowds.

After waiting inside the parking area for nearly three hours, Umar drove out and triggered the explosion near a traffic signal outside the Metro station.

Just hours before the blast, Jammu and Kashmir Police announced that it had cracked an interstate and transnational terror module linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Police also seized 2,900 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, which investigators believe was used in the Delhi blast.

With ideological fractures, financing disputes and a failed original plan now emerging, the probe into the Red Fort blast continues to widen.

Shuddhanta Patra

Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influenced public…Read More

Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influenced public… Read More

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