19-year-old arrested in UP’s Azamgarh for allegedly promoting Al-Qaeda ideology

The accused – identified as Mohammad Nabeel, a resident of Azamgarh's Didarganj area – was allegedly facilitating the exchange via WhatsApp groups (Photo/AI-generated)

Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Saturday arrested a 19-year-old from Azamgarh for allegedly attempting to recruit young people to become ‘mujahideen’ through encrypted social media platforms and promoting the ideology of banned terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki.

The accused – identified as Mohammad Nabeel, a resident of Azamgarh’s Didarganj area – was allegedly facilitating the exchange via WhatsApp groups, including one he had created called ‘La Ghalib Illallah’ (There is no victor except Allah) with the aim of radicalising them and preparing them for ‘jihad’, police said.

He had reportedly shared books written by Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki and former AQIS chief and terrorist Maulana Asim Umar.

Investigation into the WhatsApp chats revealed that Nabeel would allegedly refer to the members of the group as ‘mujahideen’ and use code words such as “trip,” “pen,” “juice” and “project” to refer to jihad, knives, chemicals and plans respectively. Police said the group included young people from Jammu and Kashmir, as well as foreign nationals.

He was also allegedly raising funds for activities carried out in the name of jihad.

The agency said that Nabeel was also a member of several other WhatsApp groups, including one called “Flames of War,” whose members included people from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. The ATS alleged to have found bomb-making discussions, related videos and conversations about procuring potassium nitrate.

Nabeel was reportedly planning to travel to countries including Pakistan, Turkey and Bangladesh to undergo training and pursue his objectives.

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According to intelligence inputs, Nabeel and his associates had discussed a plan to launch “Ghazwa-e-Hind” — a military conquest of India — in coordination with Pakistan when the opportunity arose.

A case has been registered invoking Sections 152 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 18 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).