'Revenge on Kafirs; Code Words for IED Material': NIA Charge Sheet in Pune ISIS Case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in its probe into the Pune Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or IS) case, has unearthed details dating back to 2015, naming seven people as accused, with the statements of 78 witnesses.

The NIA, in its charge sheet filed before the special court last weekend, revealed that accused were being operated by a handler named Mohammad. They used to make improvised explosive device (IED) bombs. According to the agency, the accused were furthering activities of the ISIS under the guidance of Mohammad.

“They wanted to conduct terrorist activities and take revenge for atrocities against Muslims by Kafirs," reads the charge sheet.

They used code words such as vinegar or sirka for sulphuric acid, rosewater for acetone and sherbat for hydrogen peroxide to procure chemicals to make IEDs, states the charge sheet.

It also details how two accused Zulfikar Ali Barodawalla and Zubair Shaikh started to radicalise youngsters in 2015.

The earlier investigation by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and NIA had revealed that the accused used to conduct bomb testing in jungles on the outskirts of Pune. The charge sheet also has details of the jungle visits.

The agencies had earlier revealed that the group wanted to make areas such as Padgha ‘Islamic territories’.

They charge sheet states that the accused had created WhatsApp groups where messages in support of the ISIS were posted. Names of these WhatsApp groups were Unity in Muslim Ummah and Ummah News. Articles related to Palestine, Syria and ISIS ideology were posted on these groups. They also conducted street programmes, playing lectures of Islamic scholar Anwar Awlaki.

The FIR also mentions that Aakif Nachan, Tabish Nasser Siddiqui and others arrested over ISIS links had hatched a conspiracy to further the terrorist activities of the group, disturb the unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty of the country, as well as wage a war against the Government of India.

The accused were arrested in the Pune-ISIS module case linked to the Ratlam module of ISIS. They have all been charged under sections 120B and 121 of the Indian Penal Code as well as sections 18, 18A, 18B, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.