A couple from Kashmir accused of having links with the terrorist organisation Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP), has been nabbed by Delhi Police from south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar on Sunday morning, as per reports. The ISKP is a branch of ISIS which is active in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to the reports, the couple had been in touch with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan and were trying to exploit the ongoing riots to incite Muslims to carry out terror strikes inside the country. The Delhi police had intelligence regarding the IS terrorist presence in Jamia Nagar and carried out an operation on Sunday morning.
Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP): A couple, Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beg linked to Khorasan Module of ISIS apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Ohkla. Couple was instigating anti-CAA protests. https://t.co/eAh5WTY085 pic.twitter.com/NcZUd0LlqJ
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020
Jahanzaib Sami and wife Hinda Bashir Beigh, a couple from Srinagar in Kashmir, have been detained.
Jahanzaib Sami was under the radar of the Indian intelligence operatives some time back for his association with senior members of ISKP in Afghanistan. It appears that he intended to carry out terror strikes including a suicide attack and had also been attempting to procure weapons for this purpose.
However, lately, Jahanzaib Sami’s activities were largely confined to propaganda for the Islamic terror group on cyberspace and had been advocating that the group should expand its focus to the Indian hinterland, and not just Jammu and Kashmir.
According to intelligence officials, Jahanzaib Sami was also in touch with Huzaifa al-Bakistani, the Pakistani commander of the Islamic State’s Khorasan wing who played a key role in efforts to radicalise Kashmiri youngsters to join the terror group. Huzaifa al-Bakistani, a Pakistani national who first joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba before upgrading to the IS, is a well-known online recruiter for IS.
Jahanzaib Sami’s wife Hina Bashir Beigh was also active on pro-IS handles on social media and facilitated in spotting what the group considered ‘talent’ for its terror activities, a senior Police officer said.
In his initial questioning, Jahanzaib Sami is alleged to have told a group of interrogators about his role in publishing and publicising the February edition of the IS magazine Sawt al-Hind (Voice of India). In this edition of the digital magazine, the Islamic State’s subcontinental branch had called on Indian Muslims angered by the Citizenship Amendment Act to abandon political protest, and instead turn to jihadist violence.
“Democracy is not going to save you,” the terrorist group’s magazine released online on 24 February said.
The official said Jahanzaib Sami had spoken about the role of some other people in connection with the magazine that had attempted to provoke the youth to join ‘jihadi violence’.
It is pertinent to note that Jamia Nagar, from where the terrorists have been arrested, falls under Okhla constituency. Aam Aadmi Party leader Amanatullah Khan represents Okhla in Delhi government.
