'Big fish' bomb maker: Police say terror suspect was inspired by Zakir Naik; behind BJP office blast

NEW DELHI: One of the two terror suspects recently arrested in Andhra Pradesh's Rayachoti town has been identified as a major operative with extensive experience in bomb-making and links to past terror attacks, according to Andhra Pradesh Police.Abubacker Siddique, in his 50s, was arrested along with Mohammed Ali by the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) earlier this week. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen described Siddique as a "big fish.""This fellow (Siddique) is too big a fish than what we had thought," Praveen told PTI. "He had travelled across the country and frequently visited Gulf nations. He operated as a lone wolf, offering his bomb-making expertise to those who shared his radical ideology."Links to Zakir Naik and previous attacksPolice say Siddique was ideologically driven by the teachings of fugitive preacher Zakir Naik and had been acting independently, assisting others aligned with extremist ideologies. He is said to be an expert in manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), timer-based bombs, and electronic triggering mechanisms.Siddique is suspected of being involved in the bombing at the BJP office in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, as well as the 2011 pipe-bomb attempt in Madurai during BJP veteran L K Advani's rath yatra. Police are currently investigating his full network and past involvement in terror-related cases.Explosive materials, Isis literature, and digital evidence seizedAuthorities have carried out fresh searches at the suspects' premises, recovering several incriminating items. While no live explosives were found during Saturday's search, police seized documents and pen drives, adding to an already significant cache of evidence.Earlier searches yielded:Investigation continues into wider networkDIG Praveen confirmed that Siddique had settled in Rayachoti in recent years, but his operations appear to have national and international footprints.