Bengaluru blast: Saudi to hand over Fasih Mahmood

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Fasih Mahmood — the 28-year-old engineer from Bihar and an alleged terror suspect reportedly involved in Bengaluru’s April 2010 Chinnaswamy stadium blast is likely to be flown to India next week, said an official source.

But Fasih may not be brought to Bengaluru directly for security reasons, a CBI officer told Deccan Chronicle.

Breaking their silence after 45 days of his alleged arrest in May in Jubail, Saudi Arabia on Saturday formally announced that Fasih has been detained in their country and will be deported to India.

Fasih was reportedly arrested in a joint operation by the Saudi and Indian authorities on May 13 but his whereabouts were kept under wraps till the time India managed to get 26/11 suspect Abu Jundal extradited from there.

“It was a tactical move to get the bigger fish, Abu Jundal first,” said a senior Intelligence officer.

Fasih is latest terror catch in Saudi Arabia

Keeping quiet for long over the arrest of the 28-year-old Fasih Mahmood, an alleged terror suspect involved in the April 2010 Chinnaswamy stadium blast, the Saudi Arabian government is likely to deport him next week.

“It was a tactical move to get the bigger fish - Abu Jundal - first. Saudi Arabia was under tremendous pressure from Pakistan to not let go of Jundal,” said a senior Intelligence officer on condition of anonymity.

He added that very soon alleged terror suspects involved in terror attacks in India, who have taken shelter in Saudi Arabia will be tracked and deported because of the growing unease in the Arab region and an apprehension that such elements may be wrongly used against their own government.

Besides Chinnawamy stadium blast, Faish is also allegedly involved in the 2010 shooting incident near Jama Masjid, Delhi and is wanted by both Delhi and Karnataka Police. On the request of Karnataka and Delhi Police, the CBI had asked the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice against him.