American connection in Indian Islamic State modules

An emerging American link has come to light in the investigation of the Islamic State inspired terror cases with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) identifying a key recruiter

Abu Isa al Amriki–one of the planners of the terror group’s external operations division which planned and executed terror attacks in foreign countries– to have set his eyes on India for recruitment of young Muslims. NIA officials have found glaring similarities in the modus operandi employed by al Amriki in at least two instances, Hyderabad module involving five men and a case of a lone wolf in Kolkata where the suspects were ready to commit terror acts in the name of IS. It has now prompted the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to keep a close eye and coordinate with the NIA on the Indian IS related cases.

A team of FBI officials arrived in Kolkata, last week, to interrogate IS suspect Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, who was instructed by his handler to target foreigners particularly US nationals, behead them with machete and make videos of the act. In December 2015, the FBI uncovered a plot involving American citizens to attack revellers on new year’s eve with machete and knives in the name of IS. The man who masterminded the new year plot, Amriki, is now found to have influenced Hyderabad resident Ibrahim Yazdani.

“We are in touch with the FBI and American authorities on the investigation in the IS cases. They have refused to accept Amriki as an American national (he is described as Sudanese) but have charged him in the New York case,’’ a senior NIA official said. He added that Amriki was using the social media platforms to influence people worldwide including US and Indian nationals to join IS in Syria or make terror attacks in their home country.

Killed in April this year in a US coalition forces airstrike outside his home in Aleppo, Syria, Amriki and his wife were prominent recruiters for the IS. In an FBI investigation, Amriki was indicted for his role in recruitment and indoctrination of a New York resident Emanuel Lutchman to plan an attack on US soil. Lutchman was also advised to make a video making a pledge of allegiance to IS before making the operation, so that IS can claim responsibility for the attack.

Like in the Lutchman plot, Amriki encouraged Yazdani to leave the land of kuffar (infidels) and make a hijra (immigrate) to Syria to join the IS. When Yazdani failed to travel to Syria, Amriki gave him contact of another Urdu speaking fighter who directed him to recruit more `brothers’ and form a module to make terror attack in India.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, IS in alliance with Jamatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh– a home-grown terrorist group banned since 2005–carried a series of attacks targeting foreign nationals and minority community with machetes including the deadly attack at Holey Cafe in Dhaka. According to Kolkata police and NIA investigation, Massiudin was recruited by Abu Suleiman–allegedly one of the top JMB leaders in Bangladesh to commit terror attack, which IS will announce as its India operation.

The overlapping trajectories involving machetes and foreign nationals, prompted the US Embassy in New Delhi last month to issue a travel advisory to American citizens warning of increased threats of attacks by IS.

FBI interrogates IS Suspect Musa

A team of FBI officials arrived in Kolkata, last week, to interrogate IS suspect Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, who was instructed by his handler to target foreigners particularly US nationals, behead them with machete and make videos of the act. In December 2015, the FBI uncovered a plot involving American citizens to attack revellers on new year’s eve with machete and knives in the name of IS. The man who masterminded the new year plot, Amriki, is now found to have influenced Hyderabad resident Ibrahim Yazdani.