A day after Russia reportedly arrested an Islamic State suicide bomber who was tasked with killing suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over remarks against Prophet Mohammed, government officials said the formal sharing of evidence is awaited.
“The National Investigation Agency is the nodal agency to probe terror cases but since no crime has been committed in India, jurisdiction and legality issues have to be examined specifically to see if this alleged conspiracy falls within the purview of harming India’s interests,” an official told News18 on condition of anonymity.
Russia’s
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had said in a statement on Monday that an Uzbek national who was recruited by the ISIS from Turkey has been arrested. “The Federal Security Service has identified and apprehended in Russia a member of the outlawed (by the Russian Federation) Islamic State international terrorist organisation. The detainee is a native of a Central Asian country, who planned to commit a terrorist attack against a member of India’s ruling circles by blowing himself up,” the FSB said.
Indian government officials said it is unclear at this stage if the suspect had an Indian visa or visa to a third country through which he planned to enter India.
In a video of his interrogation released by the Russian authorities, the terrorist, whose face was blurred, said he swore allegiance to the IS Emir in April 2022 and underwent special training, after which he flew to Russia, from where he was to travel to India. “I was supposed to be given things there (in India) to commit a terrorist attack at the behest of the IS for insulting the Prophet Muhammad,” he said in broken Russian.
“He claims that Indian contacts would have helped him with logistics and explosives once he arrived. Has his phone thrown up details of who he was in touch with in India? Russian investigators will have to apprise India of details like these,” the official quoted previously said.
The NIA has been probing ISIS-related cases and officials said that if proof from Russia is conclusive, the agency could question known operatives to find out who the helpers of the Uzbek national were. “It is premature at this stage. The NIA has completed its probe against ISIS terrorists and those inspired by their ideology. In most cases, they are in jail. It is premature to say if they would know anything about this case,” an NIA officer said.
A source, however, told News18 that agencies do seek fresh custody of under-trial or convicted accused if they have reason to believe that the person could have knowledge of a fresh conspiracy.
“Starting point of a formal or informal probe can be questioning those who were earlier arrested for being associated with ISIS to figure out if there is a new sleeper cell or module which was assisting this Uzbek national,” the source said.
Dreaded terror group ISIS and all its affiliate organisations, responsible for a series of savage attacks and killings in Iraq and Syria, have been banned in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Recruitment of youths to the outfit from India and their radicalisation is a matter of serious concern for the country especially with regard to its likely impact on national security when such youth return to India, the Home Ministry has said while banning the terrorist group.
The Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant/ Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Daesh and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed in India under UAPA, a notification issued by the Ministry said last year. News18 has learnt that anti-terror agencies had carried out raids at around 35 locations across the country in the past few weeks.
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