NIA to probe online radicalisation of youths by Pak-based gangster

The NIA has registered a case to investigate alleged online radicalisation of Indian youths by Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and ISI agents to orchestrate terror attacks. The probe follows an Uttar Pradesh ATS investigation into suspected Pakistani sleeper cells

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency has registered a case to probe the online radicalisation of Indian youths by Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and other ISI agents with the intention to carry out terror attacks in the country, officials said on Thursday.

The probe stems from a case registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in April this year.

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The FIR named eight accused in the case, including Bhatti, an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent based in Pakistan. ISI is Pakistan’s spy agency.

The central government had in September this year declared the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The action was taken as the Centre believed that the SBN was involved in “terrorism and has participated in various acts of terrorism in India.” Others named as accused in the NIA’s First Information Report (FIR) included Md Hamad Barkati, Abid Jatt, Major Hamid, Major Iqbal — all of whom are ISI agents — and one Major Anwar based in Pakistan.

The NIA also named Tushar Chauhan alias Hijbullah Ali Khan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, and Sameer, a resident of Delhi, as accused in the case. The two were arrested by the UP ATS in April this year.

The Uttar Pradesh ATS, investigating the presence of Pakistani sleeper cells created through social media, had found that these two men were allegedly in direct contact with Pakistani operatives and “planning a major disruptive act”.

During the investigation, it emerged that Pakistani gangster Bhatti, Jatt and radical Pakistani YouTubers, allegedly acting on instructions from the ISI, were attempting to radicalise Indian youths and entice them with financial incentives to disturb internal peace and communal harmony, Uttar Pradesh’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash had said.