Zakir Naik, a fugitive radical Islamic preacher, has long been a source of inspiration for terrorists. Naik, who founded the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) in 1991, has been a consistent source of inspiration for terrorists. Under the IRF, he engaged in religious conversions and promoted terrorist activities.
To further his agenda, Naik launched a multi-language TV channel called Peace TV, where he publicly insulted Hindu gods and goddesses and incited hatred among Muslims towards non-Muslims. In 2016, the Indian government banned the IRF. Then, Naik fled India and took refuge in Malaysia, where he received asylum in 2018. He faces a treason case in India and a Red Corner Notice. In March 2022, the Indian Home Ministry imposed a five-year ban on Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation NGO.
India, Britain, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Canada banned Zakir Naik’s media channels and the IRF.
It is noteworthy that Zakir Naik’s speeches influenced, among others, Najibullah Zazi, who arrested by American anti-terror authorities for planning a suicide attack in New York in 2009. Similarly, Rahil Sheikh, accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, was also influenced by Naik.
In October 2019, the National Investigation Agency revealed that Zakir Naik’s speeches inspired most of the 127 terrorists arrested for ISIS links.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated on 20 August 2024 that if India provides sufficient evidence against Zakir Naik, Malaysia will consider deporting him.
This report details 18 terrorist incidents in India that the fugitive radical preacher influenced.
1. Mohammad Salim: The Aspirant For Syria
Mohammad Salim, born Saurabh Jain, was radicalized in Hyderabad under the influence of Zakir Naik and Dr. Kamal. Converted to Islam in 2011, Salim became deeply involved in terrorist activities, joining Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT). His father disowned him after he began removing Hindu idols from their home. Salim’s admiration for Zakir Naik was so intense that he wanted to go to Syria and become a suicide bomber.
2. Shahrukh Saifi: The Kerala Train Arsonist
On 2 April 2023, Shahrukh Saifi set fire to passengers on the Alappuzha-Kannur Express in Kerala, resulting in numerous casualties. Saifi, a blind follower of Zakir Naik, was deeply influenced by Naik’s radical speeches. These speeches led him to this horrific act of terrorism.
3. Saqib Nachan: The ‘Al-Sham’ Conspirator
Saqib Nachan, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in December 2023, sought to establish a region in Maharashtra as ‘Al-Sham,’ a reference to Greater Syria. Nachan was the mastermind behind multiple bomb blasts in Mumbai during 2002-03, driven by his devotion to Zakir Naik’s ideology.
4. Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi: The Gorakhnath Temple Attacker
In April 2022, Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, an IIT Mumbai graduate, attacked the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, injuring two policemen. Abbasi was deeply influenced by Zakir Naik’s videos, which he frequently watched online. A Lucknow court sentenced him to death in January 2023.
5. PFI Terrorists: Spreading Jihad Across India
The Popular Front of India (PFI) had deep links with Zakir Naik. In September 2022, 170 PFI members were detained across eight states. Officials recovered documents related to Zakir Naik, showing how his influence had infiltrated the PFI and its jihadist activities.
6. Mohammad Shariq: The Mangaluru Blast Conspirator
Zakir Naik-inspired Mohammad Shariq was responsible for the Mangaluru auto bomb blast in November 2022. The blast, claimed by the Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), was part of Shariq’s broader plan to spread terror, influenced by Naik’s teachings.
7. Mohammad Irfan: The Singapore Bomb Plotter
In December 2022, 18-year-old Mohammad Irfan was arrested in Singapore for planning three targeted attacks. Radicalized by Zakir Naik’s online propaganda videos, Irfan believed it was his religious duty to carry out these attacks in the name of ISIS.
8. Abu Yusuf: The Delhi Bomb Plotter
Delhi police arrested Uttar Pradesh resident Abu Yusuf in August 2020 while he was planning multiple attacks in India. Yusuf, who watched Zakir Naik’s speeches for hours each day, aimed to carry out bomb blasts in Delhi on 15 August 2020 but was thwarted by tight security.
9. 127 ISIS Terrorists: Radicalized by Zakir Naik
The NIA revealed in October 2019 that Zakir Naik inspired most of the 127 individuals arrested for ISIS links. These terrorists, involved in three major ISIS cases in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, followed Naik’s speeches. They also followed the his disciple, Zahran Hashim.
10. Maharashtra Terrorists: Poison Plot in a Hindu Temple
A group of terrorists arrested in Maharashtra in July 2019 planned to massacre 40,000 Hindus by poisoning the Mahaprasad at a Mumbai temple. The court revealed that these terrorists were inspired by Zakir Naik and had manufactured explosives for their deadly mission.
11. Rohingya Terrorists: Zakir Naik’s Financial Network
The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) uncovered a financial link between Zakir Naik and Rohingya terrorists. Operating from Malaysia, Naik facilitated a $200,000 transaction to fund attacks in India. This network highlights Naik’s extensive reach in supporting terrorism.
12. Fawas Jamal: ISIS Sex Slave Conspiracy
In January 2018, Fawas Jamal and Siyad were arrested in Kerala for forcibly converting a woman and attempting to sell her to ISIS as a sex slave. The woman revealed that her husband, Mohammad Riyaz, forced her to watch Zakir Naik’s videos, which played a crucial role in her radicalization.
13. Burhan Wani: Hizbul Mujahideen’s Social Media Face
Burhan Wani, a Hizbul terrorist killed in an encounter in 2016, ardently supported Zakir Naik. His last tweet urged people to support Naik, warning that even Quran recitation might be banned if Naik was not defended. Wani’s social media presence was pivotal in recruiting youth to terrorism.
14. Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani: The ISIS Recruiter
Hyderabad-based ISIS terrorist Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani confessed to the NIA in 2016 that he turned to terrorism after listening to Zakir Naik. Yazdani’s journey into extremism began in 2010 after attending a 10-day camp led by Naik in Mumbai.
15. Arshi Qureshi: The ISIS Recruiter
Police arrested Arshi Qureshi, an employee of Zakir Naik’s IRF, in 2016 for recruiting 21 youths from Kerala to join ISIS. A court acquitted Qureshi in September 2022 due to lack of evidence. However, his arrest highlights the direct role Naik’s organization in radicalizing Indian youth.
16. Qateel Siddiqui: The Temple Bomber
Officials arrested Qateel Siddiqui, an Indian Mujahideen member, in 2011 for planning to bomb a Pune temple. Influenced by Zakir Naik, Siddiqui carried out anti-national activities with the support of Naik’s NGO members. Two prisoners allegedly strangled Siddiqui to death with a drawstring inside the high security ‘Anda’ cell of the Yerawada Central Jail in Pune in 2012.
17. Kafeel Ahmed: The Glasgow Airport Bomber
Bengaluru resident Kafeel Ahmed succumbed to injuries in 2007, a month after he attempted to blow up the Glasgow Airport. Investigations revealed that Zakir Naik’s teachings influenced Kafeel and encouraged him to undertake this suicide mission in Scotland.
18. Firoz Deshmukh: The LeT Collaborator
In 2006, the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Firoz Deshmukh, a librarian at Zakir Naik’s IRF, for collaborating with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The librarian had connections with a terrorist network involving Abu Jundal. This nexus highlighted Naik’s deep connections with international terror groups.
Zakir Naik’s influence on these individuals underscores the severe threat his radical ideology poses. As India continues to seek his extradition, the international community must recognize the danger of allowing such figures to operate unchecked.
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels to instantly get the best stories.