Ongoing investigation by Indian intelligence agencies has unearthed a major terror plot hatched by a Malaysia-based Rohingya outfit which wanted to carry out an attack on India. The investigation into the financial transactions of the outfit further revealed the outfit’s links with radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik who is now in Malaysia.
Report in TOI says that Malaysia-based Rohingya outfit may be in an advanced stage of orchestrating a terror strike in the country by a group led by a woman. The intelligence suggests that a woman-led group, who has been trained in Myanmar, may attempt a strike in an Indian city in the next few weeks. Police and state intelligence bureaus of Delhi, Haryana, UP, Bihar and West Bengal have been alerted by the central government to step up surveillance.
TOI reports that it is privy to an intel document which states that a slew of suspicious India-centric transactions to the tune of around 2 lakh dollars have been tracked to Kuala Lumpur based Rohingya leader Mohammed Naseer and controversial Islamic cleric Zakir Naik. The intel document states that a Chennai-based suspect, probably a hawala dealer, had received a part of this fund.
Further investigations revealed that the group was to infiltrate India in mid or end of December through Bangladesh. The origin or any identity related details of the woman who supposedly trained in Myanmar for this strike is unclear but it is suspected that she was sent to Myanmar from Malaysia early this year, reports TOI. The intelligence establishment suspects that a few members belonging to Popular Front of India may extend support to the group for logistics and hence watch may be stepped up on elements associated with the outfit, as per the report.
Intelligence sources said that sleuths were trying to figure out if a Rohingya militant group which came under the scanner last year for raising funds for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia was involved in the current set of transfers. Naik is wanted by Indian authorities since 2016 on charges of money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.
Reports say that the terror outfit was planning to execute an attack on India for a long time. It is believed that the organisation is planning the attack, in collusion with local terrorist groups. About 22 Intelligence agencies have been notified in advance to foil the conspiracy and avert any attacks.
Malaysia seeks information from India
Inspector-General of Police of The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador reacting to the reports in Indian media has said PDRM has so far not received any official report on the terror attack in India by outfit linked to Dr Zakir Naik. He has however welcomed sharing of information on the matter and said that Malaysia was always monitoring any developments involving terrorists.
“All this while, PDRM has always received cooperation from the law enforcement agencies in foreign countries in tackling national security issues,” he told Malaysian National News Agency Bernama earlier today. Abdul Hamid said PDRM’s record in tackling any form of threats from terrorists had been good.
Fugitive Zakir Naik inspired Islamic radicals
Zakir Naik fled India after his name cropped up during the investigations into the Dhaka cafe blast of July 2016. He is accused by India of spreading hatred, funding terror and money laundering. The NIA and ED are investigating into the charges against Zakir Naik and several cases have been filed against him in India. After being turned down by other Muslim country, Malaysia gave him permanent residency
In 2019, NIA revealed that most of the 127-odd terrorists arrested by security agencies in India for suspected ISIS links were inspired by the speeches of radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. National Investigation Agency director YC Modi had said that terrorists and their sympathisers who had joined ISIS were inspired by speeches made by Zakir Naik. He further outlined the emerging terror challenges before the country at the conference of top police officers.
In another charge sheet filed by NIA, it revealed how the speeches of Zakir Naik radicalized the Muslim youth. Sadiya Anwar Shaikh, a 20-year-old youth from Pune, was first de-radicalised in 2015 after she had put up radical content on her Facebook account. Sadiya had come under the radar of intelligence agencies in 2015, who then had de-radicalised her and let her go. Sadiya had revealed to intelligence officials in 2015 that she was inspired by radical Islamic terror sympathiser Zakir Naik.
Balaji Subramanian 
Dr. Niranjan B Poojar 
Aayush Pal