Terrorist who blew himself up in Jeddah was an NRI, confirms Saudi Arabia

coastaldigest.com web desk
May 1, 2018

Newsroom, May 1: The bomber who blew himself up outside the US Consulate in Jeddah, a coastal city of Saudi Arabia two years ago was a non-resident Indian, confirmed the authorities of the Kingdom on the basis of DNA tests.

The accused who killed himself in bid to cause harm to others has been identified as Fayaz Kagzi, an Indian national and alleged operative of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, a senior security official said.

The Jeddah blast on July 4, 2016, which injured two security officers, was the first of three attacks to hit the kingdom that day. The other two were also in the form of blasts near a Shia mosque in Qatif and outside the Masjid-i-Nabvi in Medina.

The National Investigation Agency informed the Patiala house court in Delhi that the terror mastermind was dead. Sources said that NIA believes Kagzi, who hails from Beed in Maharashtra, was the 'mastermind', 'financier' of the 2010 German bakery blast and 2012 JM Road bombing. The 34-year-old was also wanted in the Aurangabad arms haul case and is suspected of teaching Hindi to 26/11 terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab.

Saudi authorities had first released the picture of the Jeddah bomber and called him Abdullah Qalzar Khan, a Pakistani national. Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers identified the man in the picture as Fayaz Kagzi and subsequently, with the help of NIA, shared their suspicion with Jeddah.

Kagzi fled to Pakistan via Bangladesh in 2006 and shifted his base to Saudi Arabia in 2009 to oversee the recruitment of Indian nationals to LeT. Sources say that it is possible that he took on a new name of Abdullah Qalzar Khan while in Pakistan.

Abu Jundal, a convict in the Aurangabad arms haul case, had told investigators that he met Kagzi in Saudi Arabia. Jundal was extradited to India in 2012 and is currently facing trial in conspiracy against India cases.

Agencies believe after Jundal's extradition, Kagzi switched alliance to ISIS and became part of the Jeddah suicide bombing conspiracy.

India and Saudi Arabia have in recent times cooperated in terrorism-related cases. India could arrest Lashkar's Abdul Karim Tunda only after Saudi authorities cooperated.

Saudi Arabian ambassador to India, Dr Saud bin Mohammed Al Sati, had said last week that the kingdom has a very strong cooperation with India on countering terrorism, extremism and terror financing.

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Roshan Deen
 - 
Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Suicide bomber who blew himself up near the United States consulate in Jeddah early Monday has been identified as a Pakistani citizen, the Saudi interior ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry identified the man as 35-year-old Abdullah Gulzar Khan, who worked as a driver in the kingdom.
Khan had been living with his wife and her parents in Jeddah for 12 years, the interior ministry said in a tweet. July 05, 2016
https://www.dawn.com/news/1269220

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News Network
May 18,2020

Bengaluru, May 18: Indian food delivery startup Swiggy said on Monday it would lay off 1,100 employees, or nearly 14% of its workforce, to cut costs, as a weeks-long nationwide lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak hits demand for online food ordering.

The company, backed by South African internet giant Naspers, also said it will scale down adjacent businesses and has already shut several of its cloud kitchens - facilities that only cater to takeaway orders - temporarily or permanently.

“The core food delivery business has been severely impacted and will stay impacted over the short term, but is expected to start growing again after that,” said Sriharsha Majety, co-founder and chief executive at Bengaluru-based Swiggy.

Swiggy, one of India’s best known startups, is among many that are laying off employees and reshaping their business in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced 1.3 billion Indians indoors and crippled business.

India is currently under a two-month lockdown, and though several curbs are being eased, public places such as restaurants remain closed, hurting restaurants themselves as well as companies such as Swiggy and main rival Zomato.

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News Network
June 20,2020

Udupi, Jun 20: Movement of heavy vehicles on Agumbe Ghat section was banned till October 15, following heavy rain lashing due to onset of South West Monsoon.

The Agumbe Ghat connects Shivamogga with the Udupi district. There is a possibility of landslides on either side of the Ghat road if movement of heavy vehicles is allowed during the monsoon, said Udupi DC G Jagadeesh in statement issued here on Saturday.

The movement of all heavy vehicles above 12 tonnes has been banned on the road. Till end of monsoon all the heavy vehicles have to move via Udupi-Brahmavar-Barkur-Shankaranarayana; Siddapura-Hosangady-Hulikal Ghat-Hosanagara-Theerthahalli; Udupi-Karkala-Bajagoli-S K Border-Kerekatte-Sringeri- Shivamogga.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 23: In the wake of the shutdown in several districts of the state to control the COVID-19 spread, Karnataka government on Monday said food would be provided free of cost through Indira Canteen for the poor who depend on daily wages for their livelihood.

The state-sponsored subsidised 'Indira Canteens' as of now serves breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.

"In the interest of the poor, it has been decided to serve free food for poor. Through Indira Canteen, free food will be served for the entire day for the poor," Yediyurappa told reporters.

The Karnataka government has already announced shutdown of all commercial activities, barring essential services, in nine districts where COVID-19 cases have been reported till March 31.

They are: Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu and Belagavi.

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