The arrests were made after raids in West Bengal's Murshidabad and Kerala's Ernakulam on some intelligence input about the presence of the terrorists there
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday morning carried out searches and arrested nine terrorists of the banned terror organisation Al-Qaeda.
According to anti-terror probe agency officials, the arrests were made after raids in West Bengal's Murshidabad and Kerala's Ernakulam on some intelligence input about the presence of the terrorists there.
As per the 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 (NCR).
NIA spokesperson said that the module was actively indulging in fundraising and a few members of the 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,” said NIA spokesperson, adding that it has registered a case on September 11.
A 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, have been seized from their possession.
Leu Yean Ahmed and Abu Sufiyan from West Bengal and Mosaraf Hossen & Murshid Hasan from Kerala are among the nine Al-Qaeda terrorists arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) pic.twitter.com/jMnRjTIjED
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2020
These arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.
Arrested terrorists have been identified as Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswas and Mosaraf Hossen, all three residents of Ernakulam.
Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal and Atitur Rehman, all residents of Murshidabad.
The official said that they will be produced before the concerned courts in Kerala and West Bengal for police custody and further investigation.
(With inputs from agency)
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