Indian Security Service Arrests 9 Al-Qaeda Militants Plotting Attacks Across Country

India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced in a statement on Saturday that it had arrested nine members of the Pakistan-sponsored branch of al-Qaeda terror group (outlawed in Russia), who planned a series of attacks across the country

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2020) India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced in a statement on Saturday that it had arrested nine members of the Pakistan-sponsored branch of al-Qaeda terror group (outlawed in Russia), who planned a series of attacks across the country.

"Today (19.09.2020) early morning, NIA conducted simultaneous raids at several locations in Ernakulam (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal) and arrested nine (09) terrorists associated with Pakistan-sponsored module of Al-Qaeda," the statement said, adding that "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.

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According to NIA, six terrorists were arrested in West Bengal and three others in Kerala. During the raids, agency's officers seized "large quantity of incriminating materials," including digital devices, documents, weapons and jihadi literature.

The agency stated that, according to the results of the preliminary investigation, the militants, who allegedly got radicalized through social media, were engaged in fundraising required for the planned attacks and intended to visit Delhi to procure arms.