NIA Raids Across India in Bengaluru Jail Radicalization Case
Terrorist Plot to Recruit Inmates, Carry Out Suicide Attack Foiled
According to an official, the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday began conducting searches in seven states as part of a probe into the radicalization of convicts by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist in Karnataka.
According to the official, further information is expected. The searches, which are taking place at 17 locations across seven states in relation to the radicalization case in the Bengaluru jail, are now underway.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged eight individuals in the case in January. The charge-sheeted defendants included Salman Khan and Junaid Ahmed, also known as "JD," who are believed to have fled overseas, and T Naseer of Kannur, Kerala, who has been serving a life term at the central jail in Bengaluru since 2013.
On July 18, of last year, the Bengaluru City Police first filed a complaint after locating weapons and ammo, hand grenades, and walkie-talkies from seven of the defendants. The seven guys were taken into custody when they were inside one of the accused's homes.
The investigations, according to the NIA, which assumed control of the case in October of last year, showed that Naseer—who was implicated in other bomb cases—had communication with the other suspects throughout their 2017 incarceration in Bengaluru.
After carefully evaluating each one of them to determine their potential for radicalization and recruitment into the banned terror organization LeT, Naseer had succeeded in getting all of them moved to his barrack.
According to the CIA, he was the one who first succeeded in radicalizing and enlisting Khan and Ahmed to support the LeT's operations. According to the official, he then plotted with Ahmed to radicalize and enlist the other accused. According to the official, he also planned with Khan to provide the others with weapons, ammo, hand grenades, and walkie talkies as part of a scheme to carry out a "fidayeen (suicide)" assault and assist Naseer in escaping from police custody while he was being transported to court.
In addition, Ahmed gave his accomplice the go-ahead to practice burning on government buses and to take police hats in preparation for the assault. The weapons were seized in July of last year, foiling the scheme.
