Court sends six Al-Qaeda members to NIA custody

A Delhi court on Tuesday sent six alleged Al-Qaeda members, arrested recently from West Bengal and Kerala, to four-day NIA custody, the court sources said.

Special Judge Praveen Singh handed over the accused to NIA for custodial interrogation after they were produced before the court in an in-chamber proceeding.

Three other suspects of the terror outfit arrested in the case were also sent for custodial interrogation on Monday, the sources said.

According to the NIA, it had conducted simultaneous raids at several locations at Kerala and West Bengal and arrested nine terrorists associated with Pakistan sponsored module of Al-Qaeda.

The agency said that the arrested men were radicalised by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media platforms and were motivated to launch attacks at multiple locations, including in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The module was actively involved in fund-raising and some of its members were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition, the official said, adding that the arrests have prevented possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.