The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a charge sheet against two accused for raising funds to carry out terrorist and disruptive activities for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a proscribed terrorist organisation. The accused also attempted to radicalise and recruit gullible Muslim youth in India to join the banned terror outfit to carry out terror activities, the NIA alleged.
The NIA had registered a case against the accused identified as Mohammed Arif, 42, resident of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, who was working as a French translator in Bengaluru and his associate, Hamraz Worshid Shaikh, 27, a resident of Thane, Maharashtra. They have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Investigations revealed that the accused communicated over encrypted social media applications to conspire with their Syria-based online handler. As per his instructions, the duo had zeroed in on gullible Muslim youth in India and attempted to recruit them by propagating TTP ideology. These youth were also motivated to flee the country and join the TTP for carrying out terror attacks, the NIA alleged. The probe revealed that Arif also made preparations to illegally cross over to Afghanistan through the Iran-Afghanistan border to join TTP along with his family, the NIA alleged.
Arif had applied for Iranian visa for his entire family and had also booked four flight tickets to Iran and four dummy return flight tickets to India for his family, including his wife and two minor children. Arif had booked rooms in Boshra hotel of Mashhad city of Iran, as per instructions of the online handler, the NIA alleged.
The NIA claimed that investigations also revealed that the accused Hamraz had sent money to Pakistan for furthering the activities of TTP. The accused persons intended to establish Islamic rule in India by overthrowing the democratically-elected government through violent Jihad, the NIA officials claimed.
