- Shoe bomb containing TATP was used in Delhi blast near Red Fort, the probe has revealed
- Dr Umar Muhammad Nabi, a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber, died in the blast
- TATP and metal trigger found in shoe is similar to 2001 Richard Reid shoe bomb case
The probe into the November 10 Delhi blast hinted that a shoe bomb was used inside the car, which exploded near the Red Fort. The footwear, discovered under the driver's seat, tested positive for TATP (triacetone triperoxide), the same highly volatile explosive used in several international terror plots.
Dr Umar Muhammad Nabi, a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber, died in the blast that killed 13 people. Forensic teams also found a metal trigger component inside the shoe, believed to have set off the explosion.
The discovery brings to mind the 2001 “shoe bomber” case, when al-Qaeda terrorist Richard Reid attempted to blow up an American Airlines flight using TATP-packed footwear.
The 2001 Shoe Bombing Attempt
Months after the 9/11 attacks, Richard Colvin Reid, also known as Abdel Rahim, boarded American Airlines Flight 63 on December 22, 2001. He was travelling from Paris to Miami. Reid made homemade explosives and hid them in the soles of his high-top black basketball shoes.
About 90 minutes into the flight, Reid attempted to ignite the fuse, but crew members noticed the smell of sulfur and quickly intervened. During the struggle, Reid pushed one flight attendant to the ground and bit another. Passengers subdued him, tied him up, and an onboard doctor administered sedatives. The flight was then diverted to Logan International Airport, Boston, where Massachusetts State Police took Reid into custody.
TATP Found In Shoes
Forensic examination revealed that the shoes contained approximately 10 ounces (283 grams) of TATP, enough to punch a hole in the aircraft's fuselage and potentially bring down the plane.
An FBI agent later testified that had the bomb detonated, it would likely have caused the flight to crash, potentially killing all 197 passengers.
Reid admitted to FBI investigators that he had made the explosive shoes himself, and evidence later linked him to al-Qaeda.
Who Is Richard Reid?
Richard Reid, born on August 12, 1973, in London, is the son of an English mother and a Jamaican father. He dropped out of school in 1989 and repeatedly clashed with the law. In 1995, he reportedly converted to Islam, taking the name Abdel Rahim. By 1997, he became radicalised, joining extremist groups and distancing himself from non-converting family members. By 1998, Reid left London and travelled to Pakistan and Afghanistan for al-Qaeda terrorist training.
The 2001 Flight
In December 2001, Reid returned to Europe and purchased new basketball shoes with cash. He then flew to Paris and booked a round-trip ticket to Antigua (with a stop in Miami). On December 22, Reid boarded Flight 63, attempting to light the fuse in his TATP-laced shoes before he was restrained.
Evidence later revealed that Reid had been in communication with al-Qaeda operatives via email prior to the flight.
On October 4, 2002, Reid pleaded guilty to eight terrorism-related charges, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and interfering with a flight crew using a dangerous weapon. On January 31, 2003, he was sentenced to life in federal prison without parole and is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Center in Florence, Colorado, a supermax prison housing notorious terrorists like the Unabomber and Oklahoma City bombing conspirators.
During his sentencing, Reid declared allegiance to al-Qaeda.
