Babri Demolition, Godhra Riots Led Youth to Al-Qaeda: Delhi Police

Special Cell of Delhi Police has charged 17 people for links with Al-Qaeda.(Photo: iStockphoto)

Delhi Police has informed a court in the city that the 1992 Babri mosque demolition and 2002 Godhra riots influenced Indians to join terror organisations like the al-Qaeda in the India Subcontinent (AQIS).

In the charge sheet filed against 17 accused (12 of whom are absconding) for allegedly conspiring, recruiting Indian youths and establishing a base of AQIS in India, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police revealed that these individuals were motivated by the purpose of jihad.

Some of them traveled to Pakistan and got in touch with 26/11 mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and several other terrorists.

While delivering <i>jihadi </i>speeches in various mosques, accused Syed Anzar Shah met Mohammed Umar and they discussed atrocities on Muslims in India. Umar was impressed with his<i> jihadi </i>ideology and speeches and committed himself to the cause of <i>jihad</i> and expressed the desire to receive training from Pakistan.

Excerpt from Chargesheet

According to the chargesheet, Pakistani militants came to India to avenge the demolition of Babri Masjid and had planned to attack the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Five of the arrested– Mohammed Asif, Zafar Masood, Mohammed Abdul Rehman, Syed Anzar Shah and Abdul Sami have been charged in the final report, for offences under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

All the 17 accused were listed in the charge sheet for alleged offences under sections 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 18-B (punishment for recruiting any person for terror act) and 20 (punishment for being a member of terror organisation) of the UAPA.

The accused were arrested between December 2015 and January 2016 from different parts of the country.

According to the police, Al Qaeda tried to set up base in India under the banner of AQIS and some youths from certain districts of western Uttar Pradesh had already left India and joined its cadre in Pakistan. Apparently, one of the outfit’s modules was active in the Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh.

The accused were also allegedly in touch with terrorists via social media and mobile phones. The terrorists are suspected to have financed AQIS.