NIA seeks government nod to file FIR against al Qaeda, Islamic State

Prima facie evidence of al Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) trying to woo and recruit Indian Muslim youth as their cadre and the video footage showing a flagrant al Qaeda chief Ayman-al-Jawahiri exhorting to wage a war against India has led the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to seek permission from the union home ministry to file an FIR against both the outfits.

The union home ministry, sources said, is looking at NIA's request and is expected to take a decision soon.

As the evidence is not state specific and transcends even the national boundary, the NIA is required to take permission from the union home ministry that has already taken the threat seriously.

An internal paper prepared by senior home ministry officials outlines the threat as serious. It says that the terrorist groups in Pakistan, including the TTP and Punjabi Taliban have amply stated their positions and willingness to make Kashmir the next battle ground beyond 2014.

It further says that "not only Kashmir-centric groups but Taliban and Al Qaeda affiliates have stakes in the larger scheme of Ghazwa-e-Hind (Battle of India) where Indian is regarded as the next battle ground in the 'End of Times' battles. This is likely to be used to drive Taliban and Al Qaeda affiliates into Kashmir."

"There is ample evidence against Al Qaeda's recruitment attempt. It had managed to lure 17 Manipuri youth to join Al Qaeda and they had even gone to Pakistan to get training. Four of them returned back and revealed the concerted attempts made by Al Qaeda through Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan to infiltrate Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal," sources said.

Another evidence of al Qaeda being active came through a video made in 2013 but released worldwide recently. The video titled "Why there is no storm in your Ocean" and featuring AQIS (al Qaeda in India) chief, Asim Umar who calls upon Indian Muslims, especially from Assam, Gujarat, J&K and UP, Delhi, Bihar and Southern India to join the global forces of Jihad and push to establish Ummah (Muslim state).

Appointed by Zawahiri, Asim Umar has experience of dealing with Kashmiri militants trained in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He is also believed to have frequented Lahore, Karachi and militant training camps in PoK in last seven years.

More evidence lies in the fact that at least two men from the Indian Mujahideen, one of them identified as Bada Sajid, are said to have joined the al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Besides, one Mumbai youth was recently in Syria allegedly fighting for the ISIS, sources said.

"There is no immediate threat from al Qaeda but the government needs to tread cautiously and quell the attempts to communalise as it can make India a breeding ground of terrorists who would be more vicious this time," said a senior intelligence official.