Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government had approved a proposal of the National Investigation Agency to open a research cell on the Islamic State terror outfit, PTI reported. Singh said 100 new posts have been created in the probe agency for effective investigation and supervision.
“Terror funding is a big factor in promoting terrorism,” said Singh in Hyderabad. “The way NIA performed its role, the result is that there has been a decline in terror funding compared to earlier,” Singh said here.
“We have also given approval to the NIA to set up a research cell on the ISIS [Islamic State],” Singh said. “The conviction rate of the NIA is 92%. It’s a matter of pride for all us.”
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in January had arrested nine people, including a 17-year-old boy, from Mumbra, Thane and Aurangabad for alleged links with the Islamic State. On January 17, the NIA had carried out searches at eight places in western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in connection with its inquiry against a suspected Islamic State-linked module that was busted in December.
The NIA had claimed that the alleged terror module was in an “advanced stage” of preparation for bomb attacks in India.
The NIA has been successful in establishing coordination with other agencies like the state police and anti-terror squads, Singh said. The circulation of fake Indian currency notes has also dropped due to the combined efforts of the NIA and other central and state agencies, he added.
Singh was speaking after inaugurating two new office-cum-housing complexes of the NIA at Hyderabad and in Guwahati. The complexes have been built by NBCC India at a cost of about Rs 77 crore.
Singh’s comments came in the backdrop of a deterioration in India-Pakistan ties following the Pulwama terrorist attack on February 14. Indian Air Force jets on Tuesday entered Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot. In retaliation, Pakistan F-16s violated Indian airspace the following day, and downed a MiG-21 jet. Pakistan also took the pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, into custody. He will be released on Friday evening.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!