Tauseef Ali Farooqui, a student at IIT Guwahati known for his quiet demeanor and academic excellence in the field of biotechnology, reportedly declared his affiliation with ISIS in a recent LinkedIn post. In his open letter, he cited India as a land of non-believers, urging them to convert to Islam or face consequences. Assam police took him into custody on 23 March 2024.
(Pic Credit: TimesNow)
Tauseef Ali Farooqui penned an open letter declaring his disassociation from the Indian construct and Constitution, asserting allegiance solely to Allah. In the letter, he expressed his aim to emigrate Muslims to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, challenging non-believers to confront him on his journey starting from Guwahati. Farooqui emphasized the Muslim duty to fight only against non-believers and claimed all land belongs to Allah. He concluded with a call for non-believers to repent, warning of dire consequences otherwise. This letter raised alarm among security agencies upon its publication on LinkedIn.
Kalyan Pathak, the Additional Superintendent of the Special Task Force within the Assam police, stated that a lookout was issued and a search was conducted at the airport. The individual, a student hailing from New Delhi, was eventually found in Hajo. Pathak mentioned that the police are currently interrogating him, noting that the student expressed a preference to remain solitary.
Haris Farooqi, the leader of ISIS operations in India, was apprehended by Assam police on 20 March 2024, alongside his accomplices. Farooqi, who has been involved in such activities since 2019, had long been suspected of orchestrating the radicalization of susceptible Indian youths. Among his associates was Anurag Singh, also known as Rehan, originally from Panipat, who converted to Islam; his spouse is a Bangladeshi citizen. Farooqi had been believed to be evading capture in Bangladesh.
Farooqi has played a significant role in establishing modules across several states in India, including Jharkhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Originating from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, Farooqui was sought by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He possesses expertise in indoctrination, fund management, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), resembling Yasin Bhatkal of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), who executed numerous bombings post-2008. Farooqi’s involvement surfaced subsequent to the NIA’s apprehension of Faizan Ansari, a 19-year-old BA Economics Hons student at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), in July of the preceding year. Ansari had encountered radicalized individuals affiliated with ISIS during his tenure near the AMU campus. Those familiar with the matter assert that Farooqi actively participated in a terrorist plot, which encompassed disseminating ISIS propaganda via social media to radicalize and enlist susceptible youths for various terrorist endeavors.
Farooqi formerly organized multiple modules across India and established exclusive circles, aiming to recruit individuals into ISIS. NIA brought the duo to New Delhi under transit remand. Parthasarathi Mahanta, IGP STF of Assam Police, informed the media, “Fifteen days ago, Assam police received intelligence on ISIS activities. We assembled a team and commenced operations on 18 March. On 19 March, a search operation was conducted in Dharmashala, Dhubri. They were on foot, seeking transportation to leave the area. We possessed photographs of ISIS leaders, which matched theirs.”
He further stated, “As there were ongoing cases with the NIA, we’ve transferred them to their jurisdiction. It’s likely they stayed in Assam for a brief period. Our focus is on addressing their sleeper cells within the state.”
Assam police announced on 20 March 2024,that they had received information from sister agencies indicating that two high-ranking ISIS leaders in India, currently situated in a neighboring country, were planning to enter India through the Dhubri Sector to carry out acts of sabotage. Both individuals are identified by the police as highly indoctrinated and driven leaders or members of ISIS operating within India. They have actively promoted ISIS’s agenda in the country by engaging in schemes related to recruitment, funding, and carrying out terrorist acts using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in various locations across India. Multiple legal cases against them are currently under investigation by agencies such as the NIA, Delhi, ATS, and Lucknow.
(With Inputs From Economic Times)
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