Umer was in close contact with the suspected SIMI terrorists Abu Faizal, Ejajuddin, Mehboob, Aslam, Amzad and Zakir Hussain, all of whom recently escaped from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh 2-3 month back.
In 2011 Umer Siddhiqui had organized a meeting of Chhattisgarh unit of IM in a forested area 40-50 kms away from Raipur.
The Patna Blast suspects Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, Haider Ali alias Abdullah, Numan Ansari and Taufeeq Ansari stayed in Raipur and fled from the city on November 9.
As per the arrested suspects the four men behind Patna Blast had planned to run away to Nepal via Motihari in Bihar, but decided to hide in Raipur.
One of the eight arrested men is Umer Siddiqui, a private tutor and the alleged chief of SIMI in Chhattisgarh.
