Jaipur resident Mohammad Sirajuddin found guilty in Mumbai attacks
The National Investigation Agency NIA has made some disclosures on Mohammad Sirajuddin, the arrested marketing manager of Indian Oil Corporation in Jaipur. The 2,500 page charge sheet filed by NIA finds him to be a part of several critical online groups of the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria). Some of these ISIS online groups include Admin Team-BUG, Caliphate Cyber Army, Karen's Diary and Slave of Allah among others.
NIA scanned through Sirajuddin’s phone and computer data
Mohammad Sirajuddin is a terrorist, who had made substantial inroads into ISIS’ high profile online presence. According to a senior official from the NIA, the content shared on Sirajuddin’s Whatsapp chat and messages are a proof of the fact that he actively supported ISIS and also invited support for ISIS from others. When NIA scanned through his mobile phone and computer data, they got a lot of evidences of him:
- Actively propagating ISIS agenda
- Supporting ISIS
- Inviting support for ISIS from others
- Spreading incriminating contents that endorse, justify and glorify the terror acts of Daesh (an acronym for ISIS)
Sirajuddin had tapped into core telegram channels and accounts
Another report by the NIA says that Sirajuddin had tapped into core telegram channels and accounts. He made such engagements using 2 mobile phone lines. One phone was used by him to establish links with telegram channels like Memoirs of a Mujahid and Official BUG (Baqiya United Group) News. He used the other phone to contact individuals from the online telegram groups such as the Caliphate Cyber Army, which is a part of the ISIS’ hacking arm.
Sirajuddin and the Caliphite Cyber Army
Caliphite Cyber Army is a part of the ISIS’ hacking arm. According to NIA investigations, Sirajuddin joined the Elite Section of Caliphate Cyber Army on November 22, 2015. He started following and supporting high-ranking commanders of the ISIS. The posts shared on this channel had content sourced by hacking important sites. One of the posts on this channel actually talks of the list of US officials who were being targeted by the ISIS.
His conflict with Karen
Sirajuddin was in regular touch with Karen-Aisha-al-Muslimah. Karen used to run many Whatsapp and telegram groups from Philippines. But investigations show that he had had a conflict with her and Karen had banned him from all the groups run by her. NIA found several screenshots of chats forwarded from Siraj Mohammed (Sirajuddin’s online name) and other members against Karen. Sirajuddin suspected that Karen was involved in the arrest of some members. He had asked the IS affiliate group in Philippines to disown Karen, alleging her to be from the rival groups.
Admins of telegram groups removed Sirajuddin upon his arrest
When Sirajuddin got arrested, most of the admins and members of the telegram groups either removed Sirajuddin from the group or exited the groups themselves.
Sirajuddin’s plan to migrate to the Islamic State
NIA has also found a conversation in which Sirajuddin has discussed about his plans of hijra, which means migration to the Islamic State. In a chat with Abu Mufanil, an ISIS operative in the Islamic State, he talked about details like:
- The route to be followed for migration to the Islamic State
- Mode of transport
- Cost of air travel from India to Tripoli ($7,500)
- Plan to obtain Business Visa
Guilty in Mumbai attacks
The charge sheet by National Investigation Agency NIA has made several startling revelations about Mohammad Sirajuddin. According to charges by NIA, Sirajuddin was aware of the ISIS plot to bomb several locations in Mumbai. He had shared this information with a radicalized Kenyan national, Umm Kanita Minaa. He also had plans to marry Umm Kanita Minaa for a ‘ticket to jannah’.
His arrest
But he was arrested by the Rajasthan ATS on December 10, 2015 for being in constant touch with the members of the ISIS. At the time of his arrest Sirajuddin was working as an assistant manager with the Indian Oil Corporation in Jaipur. He resided in Jaipur with his wife and 2 children.
Encouraging Indians to join ISIS
He was also brainwashing Indians to join ISIS. One of the Indians he convinced to join the ISIS was a 16-year-old girl from Pune. But thankfully, the authorities succeeded in rescuing the girl from migrating to the IS at the last moment. They also convinced her to undergo several counselling sessions.
