Delhi Blast Linked To Faridabad's Jaish-e-Mohammed Module, Say Sources

Umar Mohammad, the suspect behind the Delhi blast-- in which at least nine people were killed and around 20 others were injured-- was linked to Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to Delhi police sources. Umar Mohammad was part of the recently uncovered JeM terror in Haryana's Faridabad and triggered the blast after several of his accomplices were arrested on Sunday, sources said.

The explosion late on Monday occurred close to the historic Red Fort, and police have registered a case under anti-terrorism laws. The area around the Red Fort, which is also home to the bustling Chandni Chowk market and historic Jama Masjid, is one of the busiest areas in the national capital.

Suicide Angle

Sources said in a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police and other agencies, the Delhi Police is now actively investigating the suicide attack angle in the Delhi blast case.

"Umar Muhammad, a doctor by profession, escaped from Faridabad after he came to know about the arrest of his accomplices from the Jaish Module. Umar panicked and triggered the blast," sources said.

ANFO Bomb Used In Blast

Delhi police sources said that Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) was used to carry out a terror blast near the Red Fort in New Delhi. ANFO is a common industrial explosive made by mixing porous ammonium nitrate with fuel oil and has been previously used to carry out deadly terror attacks in Beirut and the United States. 

The blast in Delhi was carried out hours after a huge cache of ammonium nitrate was recovered from Faridabad near Delhi, triggering alarm bells across the country.

Sources in the Delhi police said that the suspect, Umar Mohammad, the owner of the Hyundai i20 car used in the blast, triggered the blast near the Red Fort after investigators arrested two key members of the Jaish module - Dr Mujammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather - and seized 2,900 kg of suspected explosives in Haryana's Faridabad over the past few days.

The "Car Bomb"

Ammonium nitrate is an odourless, white crystalline chemical that is a powerful oxidiser and, under the right conditions, can cause a massive explosion that involves the rapid decomposition of the chemical compound into a large volume of hot gases. 

Police believe that the suspect used ammonium nitrate along with fuel oil and an explosive detonator to make the "car bomb". 

How Ammonium Nitrate Bombs Work

The decomposition reaction from an ammonium nitrate bomb produces an exothermic reaction, releasing nitrous oxide and water vapour, which expand rapidly (up to 1,000 times the initial volume). This generates a supersonic shockwave that causes extensive physical damage in the surrounding area. The explosion also releases noxious and toxic gases, including nitrogen oxides (specifically a characteristic red-orange plume of nitrogen dioxide) and ammonia, which can pose a health risk to people in surrounding areas.

The reaction also generates significant heat, with temperatures reaching up to 2,000 degrees Celsius in the immediate vicinity.