In a massive clampdown on Al-Qaeda’s terror network in the country, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) has arrested nine terror operatives, Times Now reports. Six individuals were apprehended in Murshidabad in West Bengal whereas the other three were detained from Ernakulum in Kerala.

It has been learnt that these people were working towards raising funds for their operations and were also looking to travel to New Delhi in order to attain arms and ammunition for their objectives.

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

ANI has reported than an NIA official admitted that four of these nine terrorists were planning to go to Kashmir to deliver weapons.

Apparently, they were working on the instructions of their Pakistani handlers. The Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency had filed a case on September 11 after receiving inputs of an inter-state module of al-Qaeda in multiple locations in India.

Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal, and Atitur Rehman have been arrested from Murshidabad. On the other hand, Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswas, Mosaraf Hossen are the names of terrorists busted from Ernakulum.

NIA further revealed, “A 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.”