Abdel Raouf, prime accused in the plot to blow up the visa section of the American Embassy in Delhi, spoke to Special Correspondent Sayantan Chakravarty.

Q. When was the plan discussed?
A. On February 20, 2001. There were many meetings after that.

Q. Where, and with whom?
A. Inside the embassy of Sudan, with diplomat Esmail Babiker. Also present was Shamim Sarwar.

Q. Was there a Sudanese minister who was also involved?
A. Yes. Dr Abdul Rahim Umar, deputy minister for political strategies. We met him several times at a small hotel in south Delhi.

Q. Did you meet Abdulrahman Al Safani, Bin Laden's lieutenant?
A. Yes. But Al Safani and Babiker discussed the nitty-gritty of the plan in a separate room. I did not overhear what they discussed.

Q. How much money was to be spent on the bombing operation?
A. In all about Rs 100 lakh was to be spent on the operation. That was Al Safani's commitment.

Q. And how much have you been paid till date?
A. About Rs 5 lakh.

Q. What does Al Safani look like?
A. He's well-built, has a round face, is bearded, 47 years old and six feet tall.

Q. Did you survey the American Embassy area?
A. Yes. Been there about 15 times.

Q. You hate the Americans, don't you?
A. After they bombed our plant in Khartoum every patriotic Sudanese had his blood boiling. I am no different.

Q. Were you prepared to cause so much bloodshed?
A. It was Al Safani's idea.

Among the more incongruous characters in this plot is Shamim Sarwar, a Sufi cleric from Patna. He spoke to Sayantan Chakravarty.

Q. As a Sufi why did you become part of such a bloody plot?
A. It was the money. I was offered lakhs of rupees. Besides they promised to settle me in Saudi Arabia in a teaching job that would pay me at least Rs 50,000 a month.

Q. So you forgot that you are an Indian and knowingly became part of a sinister international plan.
A. Yes.

Q. You even wrote a letter to Osama bin Laden.
A. Yes, I did. That letter was written to satisfy the bosses. The letter was to be delivered by Al Safani to bin Laden to show that things were working out as per plans.

Q. You opened a new bank account to receive all the money promised.
A. Yes. In an ABN Amro branch in Kolkata.

Q. You were also to find and motivate the women who would drive down with the bomb to the American Embassy.
A. Yes.

Q. When were you planning to strike?
A. Just after August 15, when security is relaxed in Delhi.

Q. What kind of explosives were you going to use?
A. RDX. With a pencil timer and a remote.

Q. Raouf seems to have slighted you for being a "soft" Muslim.
A. Yes. He said that I wasn't doing enough, that I should join the jihad. That would help me visit foreign countries too.

Q. So Raouf influenced you?
A. Yes. And so did the others.