Al-Qaeda terror plot busted: NIA raids 10 locations across five states linked to illegal Bangladeshi network

New Delhi : In a major crackdown on an alleged Al-Qaeda terror conspiracy involving illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out searches at 10 locations across five states — West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Haryana, and Gujarat.

Officials confirmed the raids were part of an ongoing probe into a cross-border network plotting terror activities within India. The case first came to light in May 2023 when the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) exposed the module. Following initial arrests and the recovery of incriminating materials, the NIA took over the investigation in June 2023.

According to NIA sources, the raids targeted multiple suspects and their associates who allegedly maintained links with operatives of the banned terror outfit Al-Qaeda. Several digital devices, mobile phones, and incriminating documents were seized during the searches and have been sent for forensic analysis.

The NIA registered the case after intelligence inputs suggested that Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in India were in direct contact with Al-Qaeda handlers and were attempting to spread extremist ideology. The suspects reportedly used forged identity papers to enter and settle in India, particularly in states bordering Bangladesh.

In November 2023, the NIA filed a charge sheet before a special court in Ahmedabad against four Bangladeshi nationals — Mohammad Sojib Miyan, Munna Khalid Ansari, Azrul Islam, and Abdul Latif. They were accused of recruiting youth to the Al-Qaeda ideology, raising funds for the terror outfit, and facilitating the transfer of money through illegal channels.

The agency said the raids are part of a broader effort to dismantle sleeper cells and prevent radicalisation campaigns operating under the guise of illegal immigration.

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