NEW DELHI: A disturbing video recorded by Delhi car-bomber Umar Un Nabi surfaced on Tuesday, in which he attempts to justify suicide attacks by describing them as “martyrdom operations.”
Sources said the video was recovered from Umar’s mobile phone, which he had left at his home in Pulwama. His brother, who initially tried to dispose of the device by throwing it into a pond out of fear of being implicated, eventually handed it over to investigative agencies. The video is believed to have been shot close to the date of the Delhi blast.
Intelligence officials said the narrative used in the video mirrors the indoctrination techniques employed by the ISI to resolve the moral conflict many recruits face about suicide, which is religiously prohibited. Abdul Rehman Makki, a key aide of Hafiz Saeed, had even authored a book addressing this issue, they noted.
Dr. Rajiv Mehta, senior consultant psychiatrist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said Umar’s speech pattern indicated clear signs of brainwashing.
‘Umar avoids eye contact to make video appear unscripted’
In the video, Umar—who drove the explosive-laden i20 that detonated near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10—is heard trying to distinguish between suicide attacks and fidayeen missions. Speaking in broken English with a faint accent, he describes suicide bombing as one of the “most misunderstood concepts,” insisting instead that it should be regarded as a “martyrdom operation known in Islam.”
Umar can be heard referring to “dieing (sic) at a particular place… at a particular time,” aligning with investigators’ assessment that he planned to trigger the IED after the Maghrib or Isha evening prayers.
“There are multiple contraindications… multiple arguments brought against it,” he says in the recording. He then defines a martyrdom operation as one in which a person assumes he will “surely die at a particular place, at a particular time.”
He claims that the central flaw in the idea of suicide attacks is that once individuals convince themselves they are destined to die at a specific moment and place, they enter a dangerous psychological space—believing death to be their only purpose. “The biggest mistake people make is failing to understand what the idea of suicide bombing truly is,” he adds.
Psychologists said the video reveals Umar’s firm commitment to hardline jihadi ideology and confirms he was prepared for a suicide mission. They observed that he avoids looking directly into the camera and speaks while appearing to think aloud—an attempt, they said, to make the video seem spontaneous rather than scripted.
Dr. Mehta noted that Umar’s body language reflected “a high degree of confidence,” suggesting he was convinced he would be celebrated for his actions. He also appeared to be trying to inspire others by portraying his planned attack as a necessary act for a larger cause.
