In the first official confirmation that the chilling video recorded by Delhi suicide bomber Dr Umar Mohammad—also known as Umar-un-Nabi—was created at least a week before the deadly blast near the Red Fort, sources have told that the clip was found on a phone he had handed to his brother during a visit to their home in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.
The video, which surfaced publicly on Tuesday, shows Nabi describing suicide bombings as “martyrdom operations”. Since its release, there has been intense speculation regarding when the recording was made and the events leading up to the November 10 attack that killed 13 people.
Visit to Pulwama and the Hidden Phone
Sources revealed that a week before carrying out the suicide bombing, Nabi travelled from Faridabad—where he worked as an assistant professor in the General Medicine department at Al Falah University—to his family home in Pulwama. During this visit, he gave one of his two mobile phones to his brother before returning to Faridabad.
Events escalated quickly after Nabi left. His brother learned that Nabi’s colleague at Al Falah University, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather, had been arrested on November 7 for putting up terror-linked posters in Srinagar. Another colleague, Dr Muzammil Shakeel, was arrested on November 9 in connection with an explosives haul in Faridabad. Hours later, he heard that Dr Shaheen Saeed had also been detained.
Knowing these individuals were closely associated with his brother, and hearing rumours that the police were searching for Nabi as well, his brother panicked and threw the phone into a pond near their Pulwama home.
Investigators Close In
When investigators attempted to locate Nabi’s two phones, they found both switched off—one last traced to Delhi, the other to Pulwama. They then travelled to his family home, where after sustained questioning, the brother confessed that Nabi had handed him a phone, which he had discarded out of fear.
The phone was recovered only after the Delhi suicide bombing. It had suffered significant water damage and a malfunctioning motherboard, but investigators managed to retrieve the video several days later.
Nabi’s Chilling Justifications
In the video, Nabi attempts to justify suicide bombings—despite Islam forbidding taking one’s own life—calling them “martyrdom operations” and arguing that death is predetermined.
“One of the very misunderstood concepts is the concept of what has been labelled as suicide bombing. It is a martyrdom operation… known in Islam,” he states. He adds ominously, “Don’t fear death.”
Psychologist Namrata Ohri, after reviewing the clip, observed that although Nabi avoided eye contact with the camera, he appeared calm, confident, and fully convinced of his ideology.
“He was trying to convince the audience that whatever he has done or was going to do was correct and calculated. He appears programmed and certain in his thought process,” she said.
Where the Video Was Shot
Earlier investigations suggested that Nabi recorded the video in room number 13 of building number 17 at Al Falah University—a space allegedly used by radicalised doctors with links to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. This is also where part of the planning for attacks reportedly occurred and where investigators recovered 2,900 kg of explosives stored in a room rented under Dr Muzammil Shakeel’s name.
Officials say this places the video’s creation at least a week before the suicide bombing, though it may be older. It remains unclear whether Nabi was referencing the attack he later carried out or addressing others whom the module was attempting to radicalise.