Delhi Red Fort blast: NIA chargesheet reveals abuse of AI platform for ‘terror engineering’

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detailed in a 7,500-page chargesheet how Jasir Bilal Wani, an accused linked to Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), allegedly misused AI platforms like ChatGPT and YouTube to research and develop rocket Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The chargesheet, filed on May 14, 2024, reveals Wani searched for methods to construct rockets and tested devices in Qazigund forest, Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, alongside co-accused doctors Dr Umer un Nabi and Dr Muzammil Shakeel. Wani, described as the 'in-house engineer' of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) terror module, stayed at Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, to provide technical support for the conspiracy. Three doctors employed there—Dr Umer, Dr Muzammil, and Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather—were allegedly involved in supplying IED ingredients, including powdered sugar and NPK fertilizer, and testing explosive devices in Youshmurg forest near Mattan. The NIA recovered remnants of these tests after disclosures by the accused. The chargesheet highlights Wani’s use of commercially available materials, including components ordered via Flipkart, to build trigger mechanisms for vehicle-borne IEDs. Dr Umer provided drones to Wani, instructing him to enhance their range and payload capacity for potential attacks on security installations in Kashmir. A controlled NIA demonstration confirmed Wani’s ability to fabricate functional rocket IEDs using accessible materials. The blast on November 10, 2023, killed 11 people and injured others when Dr Umer drove an explosive-laden car near Delhi’s Red Fort. AQIS and its offshoots are designated terrorist organizations by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The NIA’s findings emphasize a 'laboratory-grade' approach to IED fabrication, with digital and AI platforms playing a role in the conspiracy.