A self-proclaimed member of the Islamic State has been arrested in Russia for planning a terrorist attack in India. The Russian Federal Security Service released information regarding the would-be attacker’s plan to kill a leader of India's ruling government in a suicide bombing. The attack was planned as retaliation for the insults aimed at the Prophet by the now ex-BJP spokesperson, Nupur Sharma.
The Russian state-run news agency Sputnik News reported that a suspicious foreigner was arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB). The suspect had allegedly confessed to his association with the rebel Islamic State terror group and their plan of an imminent attack targeting India.
In a statement released by the Kremlin media, "Russia's FSB identified and detained a member of the Islamic State international terrorist organization banned in Russia, a native of a country in the Central Asian region, who planned to commit a terrorist act by blowing himself up against one of the representatives of the ruling circles of India,"
It is claimed that it was a conspiracy to kill a high-ranking member of the ruling government in India, possibly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Russia's investigation agency has also added that to execute the terror plan, the accused had been specially trained in Istanbul, Turkey, from April to June 2022 by ISIS recruiters.
In the video statement released by FSB, the accused is a thirty-year-old man that identified himself as "Azamov," as per a rough translation. Whether this is his real identity or not isn't officially confirmed. It is believed that he is a citizen of Uzbekistan.
In the video, the accused, Azamov, claimed he made an oath of allegiance to the Emir of ISIS named "Yusuf Tajike." Azamov added, "In India, I was to be met and given all the necessary things to commit an act of terrorism at the behest of the Islamic State for insulting Prophet Muhammad,"
This is the video of the #ISIS suicide bomber apprehended by the Russian security agency. He has confessed that he was tasked by Islamic State to target a top leader of ruling government in India. pic.twitter.com/gWet1oVcVo
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 22, 2022
According to the statement by the FSB, the accused was conditioned online on Telegram, a messenger app used by Islamic State recruiters to spread their propaganda. The app is known for numerous instances where terrorists used it to recruit suicide attackers. The app uses a powerful encryption method that has attracted a user base that values their personal info. Also, for the same reason, it is used for terrorist activity.
The Indian government has not made any moves yet regarding the terror plot. A probe was started by the Indian officials investigating the case as they await formal evidence from Russia. It is unclear how the accused was planning to enter the borders of India if he had an Indian visa or a visa from a neighboring country through which he planned to enter illegally.
