Assam man having Al-Qaeda link on NIA radar for radicalising youths for terrorist training

By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], September 17 (ANI): Akthar Hussain Lashkar, a resident of Assam, is under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for having links with the proscribed terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda and is charged with radicalising youths as well as conspiring to send them to Kashmir and Khorasan province of Afghanistan to undergo terrorist training.
A First Information Report (FIR) accessed by the ANI reveals the fact further mentioning that Lashkar also provoked youths to wage war in the name of religion.
Lashkar, a resident of Theltikar village in Assam's Cachar district and presently residing in the Thilaknagar area in Bengaluru, was found indulged in activities relating to "radicalization of youth through social media, involvement in provoking youths to indulge in treason against India and inciting communal violence by projecting that Indian forces are committing atrocities on Muslims in Kashmir".
"Further, the aforementioned accused had conspired to send the radicalized youth to Kashmir and Khorasan province of Afghanistan to undergo terrorist training and wage war against India and had links with Al-Qaeda and other entities and handlers from foreign countries for carrying out terror-related activities across India," reads the FIR.
The NIA FIR was filed on August 30 against Lashkar and one Abdul Alim Mondal alias Md Juba, a native of Kultali, Godabar, Tangrabichi, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal and presently residing at Salem, Tamil Nadu. Both were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and sections 10, 13, 15, 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The FIR is based on a case earlier registered by Bengaluru Police on July 24.
Bengaluru Police received information on July 24 against Lashkar that he had created Telegram groups namely "The Eagle of Kohrasun" and "Hinder-Eagle" and had radicalized the youths.
Later, the investigators found, that the accused conspired to send the youths to Kashmir and Khorasan province of Afghanistan to undergo the radicalised youths' terrorist training and provoked them to wage war in the name of religion.
Investigator also found that Lashkar had tried to carry out "disruptive activities" in India. "He is having links with entities and handlers from Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan for the terror-related activities."
"The said individual (Lashkar) is involved in provoking youths to wage war against India by projecting that Indian forces are committing atrocities on Muslims in Kashmir. He thereby provoked the youths to indulge in treason against India and affecting the sovereignty of India and has conspired to create communal violence in India," the FIR mentions.
As per the FIR, Lashkar was planning to leave for Kashmir from Bengaluru and is having link with the proscribed terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.
The NIA re-registered the case following an order issued from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the investigation is being carried out by the Bengaluru branch of the anti-terror agency. (ANI)