S Arabia halts deportation of Fasih Mohammed;to probe his role

This was conveyed by Riyadh to New Delhi through diplomatic as well as security agency-to-agency meetings within days of deportation of Syed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal from Saudi Arabia, official sources said.

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

An engineer and alleged member of banned outfit Indian Mujahideen, 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.

An Interpol red corner notice against Fasih was issued earlier this year after reports of his sudden disappearance.

 

His name cropped up during the interrogation of the alleged terrorists of banned outfit Indian Mujahideen arrested during the last nine months.

The Gulf country is not happy over the exposure of its role and cooperation by the Indian security agencies in the Jundal operation.

This was cited by National Security Advisor Shivshanker Menon, during his address to the Directors and Inspectors General of police last week, staying the Saudi authorities were unhappy with the way details of the Jundal operation were made public by the Indian security agencies.

Menon had underscored the need of maintaining a high-level of secrecy in such operations and not expose the countries which were helping India in its fight against terrorism.

The NSA wanted secrecy to be maintained at all levels in handling cases of international terrorism as the acts have "dangerous propensity of international embarrassment".

Jundal, the 26/11 handler who is in jail in Mumbai, was deported to India by the Saudi authorities in June as part of enhanced intelligence and security-related cooperation between the two countries.

Saudi authorities said it would take some time for them for deciding on 28-year-old Fasih's deportation or extradition to India, the sources said.