Indian journalist arrested in bomb attack on Israeli diplomat blamed on Iran
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Feb. 13, 2012: Indian policemen watch security and forensic officials examine a car belonging to the Israel Embassy after an explosion tore through that in New Delhi, India. (AP)
Police on Wednesday said they arrested an Indian journalist in connection with last month's bomb attack on an Israeli diplomatic vehicle in New Delhi, their first arrest in an attack that Israel accuses Iran of orchestrating.
Police arrested Syed Mohammed Kazmi on Tuesday after investigations showed he had been in touch with a suspect they believe may have stuck a magnetic bomb on an Israeli diplomat's car, police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
Police said they searched Kazmi's house over the past two days to gather evidence of his link to the Feb. 13 attack, which wounded the diplomat's wife, her driver and two other people in a nearby car. Police did not say what evidence they found.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kazmi, 50, was being questioned and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday before being handed over to officials of the investigating agencies for further questioning, Bhagat said. It was not immediately clear which news organizations Kazmi has worked for.
Israel has blamed Iran for the attack. Indian officials have refused to assign blame while the investigation continues.
Police said the attack began when a man on a motorcycle rode up to the diplomatic vehicle and attached a bomb to it with a magnet before riding off.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The blast came the same day a bomb was discovered on an Israeli diplomat's car in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. The next day, three Iranians accidentally blew up their house in Thailand, and Israeli authorities said the similarity between their explosives and the two earlier bombs linked Iran to all three incidents.
Israel has accused Iran of waging a covert campaign of state terror and has threatened military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.