New Delhi:
The Al Qaeda has created a cell in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Mujahideen founder Riyaz Bhatkal told his top-most lieutenant in conversations that have been decrypted by security officials. They say that while the declaration is being taken seriously, they have so far not found any evidence to support the claim.
A larger concern, they say, is that Riyaz Bhatkal, believed to be in Karachi in Pakistan, is keen on merging the Mujahideen with the Al Qaeda. Yasin Bhatkal was arrested in August last year at the border with Nepal.
In September, the Qaeda announced a branch for the subcontinent, vowing attacks in India and other countries in South Asia.
Though the Mujahideen was initially funded by Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) and helped by Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group that attacked Mumbai in 2008, Indian intelligence officials believe that Bhatkal's men are training now with Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Much of this has been concluded from internet chats between Riyaz Bhatkal and lieutenants including Yasin; the conversations have been deciphered with the help of the United States.
The Al Qaeda, according to the NIA, has tasked the Mujahideen to abduct Israeli citizens from India and smuggle them to Afghanistan where they would be held hostage. In turn, the Al Qaida has agreed to train IM cadres.
Many of these details were recently shared by the NIA in a Delhi court as part of a chargesheet against 11 suspected members of the Mujahideen.
"This confirms our worst fears," say senior security official who did not wish to be named. "It means now you can have a terror strike in India as revenge for something in USA or Syria," he added.
As evidence of this, experts point to last year's serial bomb blasts at the Buddhist destination of Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The Mujahideen said it had carried out the strikes to avenge alleged atrocities by Buddhists in Myanmar against Rohingya Muslims.
Decrypted communications shows a souring of relations between the Mujahideen and ISI which, according to India, has provided the group with training and other assistance. In an internet chat, Riyaz Bhatkal refers to the ISI as "dogs." Relations between Riyaz and ISI soured when Riyaz started courting the Al Qaida and Taliban in Pakistan's restive North Western Frontier Province between 2012 and 2103.
Since the fallout with the ISI about a year ago, the Mujahideen, experts believe, is sending at least "one member every month by rotation" to train with the Qaeda in Afghanistan.