NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against five accused, including four foreign nationals, for being part of a meticulously planned conspiracy by al Qaida operatives based across the Indo-Bangladesh border, to carry out terrorist acts and activities in India.
The accused named in the chargesheet, filed in an NIA court in Ahmedabad, are Mohd.Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir Ajharul Islam, Abdul Latif, and Farid.
Four terrorists — Mohd. Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir and Abdul Latif — had illegally infiltrated into India through the Indo-Bangladesh border by using forged and fraudulent identity documents. The Gujarat ATS, which initially probed the case, had found that these individuals were associated with the proscribed terrorist organization Al-Qaida, and were engaging in activities such as fundraising and recruitment of Muslim youth to join the terrorist ranks.
Considering the national security implications & international linkages, the home ministry had transferred the case to NIA in June 2023.
NIA probe revealed that the accused Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir and Abdul Latif had infiltrated into India by procuring forged documents, to operate covertly within the country and advance their terrorist agenda. Their actions were not limited to illegal entry; they were actively engaged in motivating, radicalizing and indoctrinating vulnerable Muslim youth in India in the extremist ideology of Al-Qaida, and collection of funds and transferring them to the handlers and agents of proscribed terrorist organisation Al Qaida based on both sides of the border, said NIA.
Investigations uncovered that two absconding accused Shariful Islam and Sahiba are members of the proscribed terrorist organisation Al-Qaida and are believed to be key handlers of the arrested individuals from across the border. The latter had infiltrated on the explicit directives of these handlers. The handlers provided comprehensive training to the accused, including the use of covert communication applications, to evade detection and ensure the secrecy and anonymity of their activities. Furthermore, these handlers were instrumental in the radicalization and motivation of vulnerable Muslim youth in India.
Efforts are being made to identify the handlers through diplomatic efforts, for which a formal request has already been initiated by the NIA.
The in-depth investigations by the NIA have established that foreign citizens illegally infiltrate into India, obtain fake ID Cards and documents, get jobs and covertly carry out activities on behalf of foreign terror organizations such as Al-Qaida in the form of sleeper cells, said the agency.
During the investigations into the Al Qaida conspiracy case, many foreign agents were identified who had quietly settled in different parts of India with fake identity documents and they provided safe passage to other illegal infiltrators, harbouring them and providing them with Indian Identity documents.
Incidentally, NIA on Thursday had carried out multi-state raids to bust the human trafficking networks that facilitate illegal entry of immigrants from Bangladesh, and settlement of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, including Rohingya, in India. As many as 44 persons were arrested during the raids. The accused have been chargesheeted under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IPC, Foreigners Act and Passport (Entry into India) Rules.
The accused named in the chargesheet, filed in an NIA court in Ahmedabad, are Mohd.Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir Ajharul Islam, Abdul Latif, and Farid.
Four terrorists — Mohd. Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir and Abdul Latif — had illegally infiltrated into India through the Indo-Bangladesh border by using forged and fraudulent identity documents. The Gujarat ATS, which initially probed the case, had found that these individuals were associated with the proscribed terrorist organization Al-Qaida, and were engaging in activities such as fundraising and recruitment of Muslim youth to join the terrorist ranks.
Considering the national security implications & international linkages, the home ministry had transferred the case to NIA in June 2023.
NIA probe revealed that the accused Sojib Miyan, Munna Khan, Jahangir and Abdul Latif had infiltrated into India by procuring forged documents, to operate covertly within the country and advance their terrorist agenda. Their actions were not limited to illegal entry; they were actively engaged in motivating, radicalizing and indoctrinating vulnerable Muslim youth in India in the extremist ideology of Al-Qaida, and collection of funds and transferring them to the handlers and agents of proscribed terrorist organisation Al Qaida based on both sides of the border, said NIA.
Investigations uncovered that two absconding accused Shariful Islam and Sahiba are members of the proscribed terrorist organisation Al-Qaida and are believed to be key handlers of the arrested individuals from across the border. The latter had infiltrated on the explicit directives of these handlers. The handlers provided comprehensive training to the accused, including the use of covert communication applications, to evade detection and ensure the secrecy and anonymity of their activities. Furthermore, these handlers were instrumental in the radicalization and motivation of vulnerable Muslim youth in India.
Efforts are being made to identify the handlers through diplomatic efforts, for which a formal request has already been initiated by the NIA.
The in-depth investigations by the NIA have established that foreign citizens illegally infiltrate into India, obtain fake ID Cards and documents, get jobs and covertly carry out activities on behalf of foreign terror organizations such as Al-Qaida in the form of sleeper cells, said the agency.
During the investigations into the Al Qaida conspiracy case, many foreign agents were identified who had quietly settled in different parts of India with fake identity documents and they provided safe passage to other illegal infiltrators, harbouring them and providing them with Indian Identity documents.
Incidentally, NIA on Thursday had carried out multi-state raids to bust the human trafficking networks that facilitate illegal entry of immigrants from Bangladesh, and settlement of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, including Rohingya, in India. As many as 44 persons were arrested during the raids. The accused have been chargesheeted under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IPC, Foreigners Act and Passport (Entry into India) Rules.