Flashback 2014: Names of Osama, ISIS surfaced in Delhi courts

New Delhi, Dec 27: Startling facts revealed by probe agencies on plots hatched by banned outfits made headlines in 2014 in Delhi courts which noted that Osama bin Laden was still the driving force for terror groups following footsteps of ISIS to create situation like Iraq and Syria.

A tug of war was also witnessed between a federal agency and Delhi Police's anti-terror wing over the custody of Tehseen Akhtar and Zia-ur-Rehman alias Waqas, top operatives of Indian Mujahideen (IM).

Amid this lone incident which consumed considerable time of the court, terror-related cases focused around IM which carried out strings of strikes since 2007 and a charge sheet quoting confessional statement of IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal disclosed that terrorists draw inspiration from Laden and al Qaeda for bringing youth to carry out jihad.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which was entrusted with major terror cases, disclosed in the court that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI was "regularly" funding IM in its nefarious designs and the banned outfit was following ISIS' footsteps to create a situation in India similar to the one prevailing in Iraq and Syria.

The year also witnessed a plethora of terror cases in the trial courts here where probe agencies like NIA and the Delhi Police's Special Cell revealed bone-chilling facts which showed the reach of outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and IM. One of the most dangerous plot unfolded by NIA was that IM was planning to carry out nuclear strike in Surat for which they were trying to procure the logistics from Pakistan.

The fact was disclosed by NIA in its charge sheet filed in the court against Yasin Bhatkal in which the agency also said that Pakistan's ISI was "closely connected" with the members of the outfit and was providing shelter to them.

PTI