Thursday, March 28, 2024

NIA arrests 24-yr-old Muslim from Varanasi, calls him “ISIS operative”

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said it conducted raids at two locations in Varanasi and Delhi in connection with ISIS ‘Voice of Hind’ module case and arrested a 24-year-old “highly radicalised” Muslim man, Basit Kalam Siddiqui.

In a statement, the agency claimed that Siddiqui was allegedly engaged in recruitment of Indian youths on behalf of the ISIS for waging war against the Indian State.

“The arrested man, Basit Kalam Siddiqui of Varanasi, was indulging in content creation, publication and dissemination of ISIS propaganda through ‘Voice of Khorasan’ magazine. On the directions of his ISIS handlers in Afghanistan, he was trying to fabricate an explosive ‘black powder’ and gaining knowledge on use of other lethal chemical substances to be used for the fabrication of IEDs. He was also imparting training on making of explosives, through several Telegram groups he operated, for carrying out terrorist attacks against vital installations and the civilian population. He was also preparing to undertake ‘hijrat’ to Khorasan for joining ISIS terrorists in combat,” a NIA spokesman said.

He went on to say: “The case was registered suo motu by the NIA on July 29 last year, and the case relates to the conspiracy by ISIS, a proscribed terrorist organisation, to radicalise and recruit impressionable youths in India to wage violent jihad against the Indian State by carrying out acts of terror.”

The NIA claimed that it seized incriminating articles such as handwritten notes related to fabrication of IEDs and explosive substances, cell-phones, laptops, and pen-drives during searches.

The NIA had earlier filed one main and a supplementary chargesheet in the NIA Special Court, Delhi, in this case against the six arrested Muslim youths.

spot_img

Don't Miss

Related Articles