New Delhi: The Indian Mujahideen (IM) wanted to make India like war-torn Iraq and Syria by carrying out regular terrorist activities in the country, according to chargesheet filed against top suspected operatives by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The NIA said top IM operative Mohammad Shafi Armar alias Shafi alias Atta Bhatkal, who is on run, has travelled to Afghanistan and Syria and worked with the Al Qaeda. He was in regular contact with top IM men like Riyaz, Iqbal and Yasin Bhatkal.
"During a chat, the accused Armar stated that he desired that India should become like Iraq and Syria (where terrorist activities were continuously going on and large scale violence was also taking place)," the NIA said in the chargesheet against Tehsin Akhtar, Waqas, Haidar Ali alias Abdullah and 17 other absconding accused including IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal, Mirza Shahid Beg and Armar.
A court on Thursday took cognisance of the chargesheet filed on Monday.
It was the third chargesheet filed in the case, registered on September 10, 2012 against members of IM for carrying out terrorist activities and conspiracy to wage war against the country.
Tehsin was arrested on March 25 near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal while Waqas was arrested outside the Ajmer railway station on March 22. Haidar was arrested on July 2.
In February, the NIA has chargesheeted IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and three others, and in July 2013, five more IM cadre - Mohammad Danish Ansari, Mohammad Aftab Alam, Imran Khan, Syed Maqbool and Obaid-ur-Rehman.
They are booked under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy to commit offences against the state.
