NIA Files Chargesheet Against 8 Lashkar Cadres In Prison Radicalisation And Suicide Attack Conspiracy Case

The NIA charge-sheeted eight persons in LeT cadres in the terror outfit's prison radicalisation and suicide attack conspiracy case.

The NIA charge-sheeted eight persons in LeT cadres in the terror outfit's prison radicalisation and suicide attack conspiracy case.

Source : PTI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday charge-sheeted eight persons in Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadres in the terror outfit's prison radicalisation and suicide attack conspiracy case, news agency ANI reported. The persons chargesheeted include a life convict and two absconders

Among the accused, T Naseer of Kerala's Kannur has been serving a life sentence in Begaluru's Central Prison since 2013, while Junaid Ahmed, alias JD and Salman Khan are suspected to have fled abroad, ANI reported. The other persons have been identified as Syed Suhail Khan alias Suhail, Mohammed Umar alias Umar, Zahid Tabrez alias Zahid, Syed Mudassir Pasha and Mohammed Faisal Rabbani alias Sadath.

All eight persons have been charge-sheeted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosives Substances Act and the Arms Act, as reported by ANI.

The case was originally registered by the Bengaluru City Police on July 18 last year following the seizure of arms, ammunition, hand grenades and walkie-talkies from the possession of seven of the accused persons.
The recovery was made while the seven men were gathered in the house of one of the accused.

The probe into the matter was taken over by the NIA in October 2023. The probe agency stated that the investigation revealed that T Naseer, who was involved in several blast cases, had come in contact with the other accused while they were all lodged in Bengaluru Prison during 2017, ANI reported. While Salam was in prison in a POCSO case, the others were involved in a murder case, the agency further stated.

"Naseer had managed to get them all shifted to his barracks after a careful assessment of their potential with a view to radicalising and recruiting them into the LeT. He first managed to radicalise and recruit Junaid and Salman to further the activities of the LeT; thereafter, he conspired with Junaid to radicalise and recruit the other accused," said the NIA, as quoted by ANI.

After his release from prison, Junaid was believed to have fled abroad after committing some more offences, the probe agency said. According to NIA investigations, Junaid began sending funds to his co-accused from abroad to promote LeT activities within and outside the prison.

"Junaid also conspired with Salman to deliver arms, ammunition, hand grenades and walkie-talkies to the others as part of a plot to carry out a 'fidayeen' attack and help Naseer escape from police custody en route to court," NIA said, as quoted by ANI.

Junaid also directed his co-accused to steal used police caps for the attack and to commit arson on government buses as a practice run. The plot was foiled with the seizure of the arms, etc., in July last year, the agency said.