Delhi HC blast: NIA declares 3 Hizb terrorists as wanted

The National Investigation Agency on Friday declared that three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists hailing from Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir were wanted in the Delhi high court blast case and announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information on each of them that could lead to their arrest.

This is for the first time that the NIA has made it public that terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen were behind the blast.

The three wanted men included Junaid Akram, whose brother Wasim is already in the custody of NIA in connection with the September seven blast in which 15 persons were killed. Wasim is pursuing medical studies in Bangladesh.

All the three -- Junaid, Shakir Hussain Sheikh and Amir Ali Kamal -- are residents of Kishtwar district of Jammu region and have been accused by the NIA of playing "a crucial role in the conspiracy which led to the blast.

The NIA announced the cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each for any information that could help in arresting the three suspects with an assurance that the identity of the informer would be kept secret.

The age of Junaid has been mentioned as 19 years and he has been accused of several terrorist cases in Kishtwar area. He is stated to be active since last year.

However, the family contends that he was only 16 years old and that he had been kidnapped by Hizbul Mujahdieen militants last year after he appeared in 10th class examination as an act of revenge as an information from the family had led to arrest of Azhar Ali, financer and recruiter of Hizb terror group.

The other two -- Amir Ali Kamal alias Amir and Shakir Hussain Sheikh alias Chota Hafiz alias Adil-- have been active in militancy since 2008 and 2005 respectively, investigators said.

Besides Wasim, the NIA has arrested two more people who had allegedly transmitted an email on the fateful day in the name of Harkat-ul-Jehadi claiming responsibility for the blast.