NIA attaches Lucknow house used by ‘active’ al-Qaeda member

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached a house in Lucknow as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ after discovering that it was being used by an active member of terrorist organisation al-Qaeda and Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind, to make preparations for carrying out terror attacks.
The NIA said that Minhaj Ahmed was using house number 602/400 in Adnanpalli in Dubagga area of Lucknow for carrying out various terror-related activities, including making IEDs and petrol bombs. The property is registered in the name of Minhaj’s father, Siraj Ahmad, his mother and brother.
The property has been attached under Section 25 of the UA (P) Act, 1967. The NIA has found that Minhaj had been working closely with Adil Nabi Teli aka Musa, a terrorist affiliated with TRF (an affiliate of Laskhar-e-Taiba). Musa was killed in an encounter with security forces on March 16, 2022.
Investigations by NIA in a case pertaining to radicalization and recruitment of members for al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) had led the agency to Minhaj’s connections with Musa.
The NIA found that Minhaj had provided funds to the co-accused for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities in Kashmir.
Minhaj had procured certain raw materials and components to make an IED in a pressure cooker, which was recovered from the property attached on Monday.
Minhaj had also prepared a sample IED using materials in small quantities and carried out its testing on the roof of the house, NIA investigations have revealed.

The NIA found that Minhaj had recorded a video of the fabrication of the IED as well as its controlled explosion and sent it to Musa. He had also prepared a petrol bomb and shared a video of its fabrication with Musa. Minhaj Ahmad had also procured a pistol and live ammunition, and concealed it in his room on the first Floor of the house.

Source » indiatimes.com