Russia nabs IS bomber plotting suicide attack on Indian leader

New Delhi, August 22

Russia claims to have detained an Islamic State terrorist hailing from a Central Asian country, who was plotting a suicide attack against a member of India’s leadership elite for the offensive comments on Prophet Muhammad.

According to a statement by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB), Azamov Mashahont (30) was recruited by one of the Islamic State’s ringleaders as a suicide bomber sometime between April and June 2022 in Turkey.

“The FSB has identified and apprehended in Russia a member of the outlawed Islamic State international terrorist organisation. The detainee is a native of a Central Asian country, who planned to commit a terrorist attack against a member of India’s ruling circles by blowing himself up,” said the FSB statement. The terrorist’s “ideological indoctrination was conducted remotely via Telegram messenger accounts and during personal meetings in Istanbul with an IS representative,” said the statement.

The terrorist, who was not identified by the Russian intelligence agency, confessed that he was preparing an act of terrorism against a member of India’s ruling circles for “insulting” the Prophet.

In a video of his interrogation released on Monday, the would-be suicide bomber said he swore allegiance to the IS Emir in April 2022 and underwent special training, after which he flew to Russia, from where he was to travel to India. “I was supposed to be given things there to commit a terrorist attack at the behest of the IS for insulting Prophet Muhammad,” he said. The BJP had suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after the uproar. The ISIS has made its presence felt in Afghanistan with a series of violent incidents, especially against the minorities. It recently announced the setting up of a chapter for India and the security agencies here have made arrests of people claiming to be in touch with the IS.

Planned to enter India via Russia

• Was recruited as a bomber in Turkey, received his training between April and June
• In a video, the would-be suicide bomber said that after the training, he flew to Russia
• From Russia, he was to travel to India to attack a member of ruling circles by blowing himself up
• The terrorist’s ideological indoctrination was conducted remotely via Telegram

BJP had expelled Nupur, Jindal in June

The BJP had suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled the party’s Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal in June following their controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad