Bellary ISIS Module: NIA Charges Seven For Radicalising Youth And Fabricating Explosives — Here's All About It

In a significant move to dismantle the ISIS anti-India module network, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday (13 June) has filed charges against seven individuals involved in the Bellary IS module case.

These seven accused, previously arrested by the NIA, have been charged with recruiting and radicalising vulnerable youth to operate as mujahideen sleeper cells.

As per a statement released by the NIA, they are being seen as a part of broader ISIS conspiracy to establish 50 such sleeper cells in each district of India by 2025.

The accused were also involved in fabrication of explosives to further ISIS's goal of establishing a Caliphate system in India by waging jihad against the central government.

The men have been charged under various sections of the IPC, UA(P) Act, Arms Act, and Explosive Substances Act.

According to the NIA's investigation, case RC-03/2023/NIA/BLR, registered in December 2023, these sleeper cells were being prepared to carry out guerrilla attacks on Indian soldiers, police, and leaders of specific religious organizations. The improvised explosive devices made by the accused were intended to incite terrorist violence across the country.

The accused had already conducted a trial blast in Bellary, Karnataka, and had been disseminating jihad-related digital documents and data to other vulnerable youth.

Six of the charged individuals had pledged allegiance (bayath) to their co-accused, Md. Sulaiman alias Minaj, who had declared himself the Amir of the group.

Besides Minaj, the others charged by the NIA are Mohammed Muniruddin, Syed Sameer, and Md. Muzammil, all residents of Karnataka; Anas Iqbal Shaikh of Maharashtra; Mohd. Shahbaz alias Zulfikar of Jharkhand; and Shayan Rehman alias Hussain of Delhi.

Further investigations are ongoing to uncover the full conspiracy and identify additional individuals involved.