Ernakulam Court remands three Al-Qaeda operatives to NIA custody

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Ernakulam remanded three Al-Qaeda operatives - Murshid Hasan, Mosaraf Hoseen and Yakub Biswas - arrested on Saturday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The court said that they are remanded and their custody is entrusted with Shankar Brata Raimedhi, SP/CIO, NIA, New Delhi from yesterday 5 pm till 11 am on September 22.

The CIO has been directed to produce the accused before the Court of Special Judge for NIA Cases at Patiala House Court New Delhi on or before the date of the expiry of the custody.

According to the order of the Court, "Al-Qaeda consisting of more than 10 members mostly of Bengali origin and operating from different parts of the country, is planning anti-national/terrorist activities at several locations in India."

"The group is headed by the first accused, who is a Bengali speaking individual and has travelled to several places in South and East of India. He is inspired by the violent ideology of globally proscribed terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda. The accused and some unknown others are members of the said group and are involved in the aforementioned conspiracy," the court added.

NIA said that the group is suspected to be in possession of weapons and is actively raising and collecting funds for the purpose of procurement of arms and ammunition and that all members appear to be highly radicalized and motivated to commit terrorists to further their Jihadi ideology and activities.

It is also stated in the remand application that analysis of the documents and materials seized show that all members appear to be highly radicalised and motivated to commit terrorists to further their Jihadi ideology and activities and several incriminating chats, photos and videos show that they have hatched a conspiracy for anti-national activities.

( With inputs from ANI )