NIA Arrests Nine Al-Qaeda Terrorists from West Bengal, Kerala

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested nine terrorists associated with the Pakistan-sponsored module of Al-Qaeda following simultaneous raids at several locations in Ernakulam, Kerala and Murshidabad, West Bengal on Saturday morning.

According to NIA officials, the agency 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.

Officials said six terrorists were arrested from West Bengal and three from Kerala in the early morning raids.

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.

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 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 accused were identified as:

1. Murshid Hasan, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.

2. Iyakub Biswas, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.

3. Mosaraf Hossen, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.

4. Najmus Sakib, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

5. Abu Sufiyan, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

6. Mainul Mondal, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

7. Leu Yean Ahmed, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

8. Al Mamun Kamal, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

9. Atitur Rehman, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.

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