KOLKATA: In an attempt to avenge western bombardment on Islamic State positions in Syria and Libya, suspected IS operative from Bengal, Abu Al Musa Al Bangali alias Md Masiduddin alias Md Musa (25) had planned a lone wolf attack akin to Nice and Orlando on recently-canonised Saint Teresa’s resting place and Missionaries of Charity headquarters “Mother House” here to target the foreigners frequenting the place.
A chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on December 23 has revealed that the Birbhum native planned the attack on ‘soft targets’ who are British, Russian and American tourists to avenge the bombardment on IS-held areas.
For the attack, Musa was in constant touch with Dhaka’s Holey Artisan Bakery attack mastermind Abu Sulaiman and IS handler Sophie Armar through mobile app Telegram that allows encrypted messages. “At a meeting arranged in Malda district between Sophie, Musa and Sulaiman; Sophie failed to turn up which is when Musa and Sulaiman got closer. Sulaiman had visited Musa in Kolkata and the two conducted recce of the target area.
Sulaiman is absconding and it is suspected that he may be present in Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, where the state police forces are already hunting for the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh leader,” an investigating official revealed.
The NIA chargesheet on Musa states: “Accused-1 (Md Musa) discusses about some plan and selects Mother Teresa House as the target for terrorist attack in Kolkata and appraises that foreigners (British, Russians, Americans) are easily found there and tells that during the attack, accused one would accompany them.”
“A-1 discusses with the member on the other side about the locations of Mother Teresa House in Kolkata that is at Ripon Street, Sealdah Railway Station, Park Circus and tells that the foreigners viz. Russians, Britishers and Americans often visit that place and they can be attacked since they had bombarded the ISIS in Syria and Libya. He tells that the ISIS is accruing loss and advises the member to remain in disguise as a non-Muslim,” the NIA document reads further.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened around Mother House after the chargesheet revelations came to the fore. Throughout the year, security is non-existent in the Missionaries of Charity headquarters and literally any person can enter the building unchecked.
Mother House has been frequented by top personalities including football star Maradona and former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Musa was arrested by Government Railway Police from Burdwan station in July earlier this year and a knife and a camera were seized from him. He claimed that he was on his way to murder a Kolkata-based businessman and record it to prove his mettle to his handlers in Syria.
Bangladeshi investigative agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States have already interrogated Musa in the past three months. The IS operative, who has serious charges against him is currently lodged in high-security Alipore Prison.