NIA Arrests Nine Al-Qaeda Terrorists From Bengal, Kerala Who Had Plans To Carryout Attacks In Delhi-NCR

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday (19 September) arrested nine suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists after it conducted raids at various locations across West Bengal and Kerala, India Today reported.

The groups was planning attacks at many prominent places in Delhi-NCR area. The Agency, however, busted the Al-Qaeda module and apprehended six men from West Bengal's Murshidabad and three from Ernakulam in Kerala.

The NIA spokesperson DIG Sonia Narang said that the anti-terror probe agency carried out the simultaneous raids at several locations in Kerala’s Ernakulam and West Bengal’s Murshidabad after learning about an inter-state module of Al Qaeda operatives at various locations in India.

“The group was planning to undertake terrorist attacks at vital installations in India with an aim to kill innocent people and strike terror in their minds,” the spokesperson said, adding that it has registered a case on 11 September.

The nine men have been identified as Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswas and Mosaraf Hossen, currently residents of Ernakulam in Kerala; and Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal and Atitur Rehman, all residents of Murshidabad in West Bengal.

During the raids, large quantity of incriminating materials including digital devices, documents, jihadi literature, sharp weapons, country-made firearms, a locally fabricated body armour, articles and literature used for making home-made explosive devices have been seized from their possession.

“As per preliminary investigation, these individuals were radicalised by the Pakistan-based Al Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including the National Capital Region,” she said.

Narang further told that the module was actively indulging in fund raising and a few members of gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition.

However, these arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.

(With inputs from IANS)