NEW DELHI: Terrorist outfit al-Qaeda, which recently announced an Indian wing Qaedat-al-Jihad, to carry out terrorist activities, has launched a module to recruit jihadis, sources in the central intelligence agency said. The analysis of chatters between terrorists based in Pakistan reveals that an al-Qaeda terrorist has been given the responsibility of Uttar Pradesh and he is said to be operating independently.
This startling revelation has strengthened the agencies’ assessment that after crackdown on the Indian Mujahideen, Pakistan ISI and al-Qaeda are looking beyond the IM to run terror operation. Several IM sleeper cells too have joined the separate module. According to officials, the al-Qaeda cell in Bangladesh comprising Rohingya Muslims is tasked to provide logistics to terrorists in India to target vital installations, including trains. The terror finance is pumped through a Nepal-based hawala operator routed through Dubai.
“A terrorist module of Rohingya is being sheltered in Karachi by the ISI and they have developed ties with the al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban, Pakistan to assist Indian operatives. The group is suspected to have received funding from the Jamaat-Ud-Dawa headed by Hafiz Saeed. They could be using the Indian Mujahideen’s well-oiled hawala network in Dubai run by Anwar alias Noor, Muneri and Khan. Nepal and Bangladesh are emerging as two new launch pads and hideouts for al-Qaeda operatives,” officials said.
Indian Mujahideen operatives Bada Sajid, Afeef and Sultan who are said to have defected to the al-Qaeda are coordinating with the al-Qaeda module in India. Another operative from West Bengal is coordinating with the operation from Karachi. Officials said the al-Qaeda is facing huge problems in recruiting terrorist modules in India and one intercept indicated their plan to send jihadis from Pakistan and Afghanistan to carry out terror activities.
However, the plan was dropped owing to the physical appearance of the Afghan Mujahideen who could be easily detected by the law enforcement agencies.
The chatter also included that Afghan Mujahideen are very orthodox and they will not wear any other attire other than their traditional ones but they could be launched for the fidayeen attack in Kashmir.
“It appears from the analysis that terrorist groups in Pakistan are jubilant following ISI and Pakistan military pressure on Nawaz Sharif to take a hard view against India and raking up issues that suit militant organisations in Pakistan,’’ officials said.