As Kerala govt sleeps, NIA unearths another IS plot to kill Hindu leaders

The threat of the Islamic State is real. While it does not have the conventional module, it thrives on ideology which is fast spreading.

Kerala has been witnessing several incidents in which Hindu leaders have been targeted. Several members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party have been killed in political violence. In this backdrop, the National Investigation Agency has learnt that a module inspired by the Islamic State had planned on wreck havoc and kill Hindu leaders in Kerala.

The details came up during the interrogations of Moinudheen Parakadavath, a resident of Kasargod. He was arrested for allegedly helping 22 persons leave the country and join the IS in Afghanistan.

He said during his questioning that several Hindu leaders were under their radar. He gave a specific reference to an event held in Kochi last year where activist Rahul Easwar was the speaker.

It was decided that the event had to be attacked. At first it was decided that a bike-borne bomber would be sent to the venue and told to blow himself up. However, it was later suggested that a tipper be deployed so that the damage is much more.

It must be recalled that using vehicles to stage attacks is very IS like. Similar instances have been reported in Nice, Berlin and very recently, London. The IS had issued a directive to its operatives to use unconventional weapons to strike at crowded places.

The accused spoke of other plots to target Jewish shrines in Kerala as well. "We had planned on striking as many places as possible. The idea was to create fear and panic in the minds of the people, he told the NIA. He stated that some of the persons who had left for Afghanistan would return after they are trained.

OneIndia News