Is Al-Qaeda plotting a major terrorist attack in India? Questions raised by NIA raid

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at several places across the country on Monday. These raids were conducted against some Bangladeshi citizens associated with Al-Qaeda. NIA suspects that these people were conspiring to spread unrest in India. Early morning raids were conducted at 9 places in Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura and Assam. These places are said to be related to those who support and give money to Al-Qaeda. According to NIA, many documents, mobile phones and other electronic devices related to bank transactions have been found in the raid. All these things can be important evidence in the case of funding terrorism. NIA said, ‘The people whose hideouts were raided are supporters of the Bangladeshi al-Qaeda network. This raid is part of the investigation of a case registered in 2023. In this case, Bangladeshi Al-Qaeda operatives had conspired with some of the arrested people.

The aim is to mislead the youth

NIA says that ‘the objective of this conspiracy was to promote the terrorist activities of Al-Qaeda in India and to mislead the youth.’ In November last year, NIA had filed a charge sheet against five people. These include four Bangladeshi nationals Mohammad Sozibmian, Munna Khalid Ansari alias Munna Khan, Azaruddin Islam alias Jahangir or Akash Khan and Abdul Latif alias Mominul Ansari. The 5th accused Farid is an Indian citizen.

What did the investigation reveal?

NIA investigation revealed that the accused had made fake documents to work secretly. NIA said, ‘These people were active in radicalizing and seducing Muslim youth in India, spreading the violent ideology of Al-Qaeda, collecting money and sending it to Al-Qaeda.’