NIA raids 20 places in 9 states, Delhi in online radicalisation case, seizes devices

Initially, the police in Andhra Pradesh booked the case after allegedly recovering incriminating material linked to the banned terrorist organisations AQIS and ISIS from a key accused.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 20 places across nine states and one Union Territory on Wednesday in connection with an online radicalisation case involving alleged attempts to promote the ideology of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and establish an Islamic state in India through violent jihad.

“The searches were conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi as part of the agency’s ongoing investigation in the case,” an NIA spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the spokesperson, several digital devices were seized during the operation and will be sent for forensic examination to gather further evidence about the alleged conspiracy. So far, 11 people have been arrested and a minor has been apprehended in the case.

The NIA took over the investigation from the Vijayawada police in May this year. The police booked the case in March after a search at the residence of a key accused, Rehmatullah Sharif Mohammad, allegedly recovered of incriminating material linked to the banned terrorist organisations AQIS and ISIS, the spokesperson said.

“All the searches today were based on a detailed technical analysis of digital devices seized earlier, connectivity analysis of the arrested accused, and other findings gathered during the investigation,” the spokesperson added.

The NIA alleged that the arrested accused and their associates were engaged in indoctrinating vulnerable young people across the country through violent jihadi content and misinformation. They were also allegedly in online contact with foreign handlers to spread jihadi ideology and further an anti-India conspiracy, the spokesperson said, adding that the agency is working to identify others allegedly involved in the conspiracy to destabilise the country and establish a caliphate.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 20 places across nine states and one Union Territory on Wednesday in connection with an online radicalisation case involving alleged attempts to promote the ideology of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and establish an Islamic state in India through violent jihad.

“The searches were conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi as part of the agency’s ongoing investigation in the case,” an NIA spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the spokesperson, several digital devices were seized during the operation and will be sent for forensic examination to gather further evidence about the alleged conspiracy. So far, 11 people have been arrested and a minor has been apprehended in the case.

The NIA took over the investigation from the Vijayawada police in May this year. The police booked the case in March after a search at the residence of a key accused, Rehmatullah Sharif Mohammad, allegedly recovered of incriminating material linked to the banned terrorist organisations AQIS and ISIS, the spokesperson said.

“All the searches today were based on a detailed technical analysis of digital devices seized earlier, connectivity analysis of the arrested accused, and other findings gathered during the investigation,” the spokesperson added.

The NIA alleged that the arrested accused and their associates were engaged in indoctrinating vulnerable young people across the country through violent jihadi content and misinformation. They were also allegedly in online contact with foreign handlers to spread jihadi ideology and further an anti-India conspiracy, the spokesperson said, adding that the agency is working to identify others allegedly involved in the conspiracy to destabilise the country and establish a caliphate.