Who is Kamal Ansari?

‘He has strong LeT links and was held by Special Cell of the Delhi police in 2001 in connection with a terror-related offence’

The arrest of Kamal Ahmed Mohammad Vakil Ansari from Madhubani in Bihar has given the Anti-Terrorism Squad hopes that they are close to a breakthrough in the July 11 train blasts case.

It was a betrayal by one of his close associates that apparently led to Ansari’s arrest. Terror squad officers said he “was a good catch”, although they are yet to figure out his precise role in last Tuesday’s terror operation.

Ansari had visited the city before, possibly even on the day of the blasts. “He has strong Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) links and was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi police in 2001 in connection with a terror-related offence,” said a senior ATS officer.

Police believe that Ansari has been trained in Pakistan and was used largely to ferry and store explosives. He had 1.5 kg of a black powder on him when he was arrested. Sources said that Ansari frequently crossed into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in 2003 and is close to senior Lashkar commanders.

His connections to Nepal are also being investigated, as his village in Bihar is almost on the Nepal border.

Sources said a special ATS team camped in Madhubani in the early part of this week had “used” one of Ansari’s associates as a decoy.

Their plan was backed by specific intelligence tips. ATS investigators want to understand why Ansari went back to his village after the blasts.