Following multiple raids in West Bengal and Kerala, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday has arrested nine terrorists linked with the terror group Al Qaeda. The terrorists were planning major attacks at key locations in Delhi-NCR according to reports.

 

While six terrorists were arrested from Bengal, three were arrested from Kerala in the early hours on Saturday. As per the NIA spokesperson, "the terror 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," the spokesperson said.

 

The anti-terror probe agency carried out the simultaneous raids at several locations in Kerala's Ernakulam and West Bengal's Murshidabad after learning about an inter-state module of Al Qaeda operatives at various locations in India.

 

"Large quantity of incriminating materials including digital devices, documents, jihadi literature, sharp weapons, country-made firearms, a locally fabricated body armor, articles, and literature used for making home-made explosive devices have been seized from their possession," the NIA said. These individuals were radicalized by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places, including Delhi-NCR, the official added.

 

 

The NIA official said that the module was actively indulging in fundraising and a few members of the gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition. However, these arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.