NIA arrests nine Al-Qaeda terrorists from West Bengal, Kerala

Our Correspondent

Early on September 19, National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted simultaneous raids at several locations at Ernakulam (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal) and arrested nine terrorists associated with Pakistan sponsored module of Al-Qaeda.

The NIA had learnt about an inter-state module of Al-Qaeda operatives at various locations in India including West-Bengal and Kerala. 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. Accordingly, NIA registered and initiated investigation.

The NIA arrested six terrorists from West-Bengal and three terrorists from Kerala in the early morning 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, were been seized from their possession.

As per preliminary investigation, these individuals were radicalised by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including the National Capital Region. For this purpose, 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. These arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.

The details of the arrested accused are as under Murshid Hasan, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala; Iyakub Biswas, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala; Mosaraf Hossen, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala; Najmus Sakib, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal; Abu Sufiyan, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal; Mainul Mondal, a resident of Murshidabad West Bengal: Leu Yean Ahmed, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal; Al Mamun Kamal, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal; and Atitur Rehman, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

The arrested terrorists will be produced before the concerned Courts in Kerala and West Bengal for police custody and further investigation.