The first Indian Muslim to be associated with the Al Qaeda was arrested in France two weeks ago, said Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday.
He said Mohammad Niaz, is a mechanical engineer from Tiruchirapalli, had been ‘radicalised’ very early in his life and had kept in contact with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India. He had been under the scanner of Indian intelligence agencies, the home minister said.
Niaz was arrested at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on May 10 on his arrival from Algeria, where he had developed links with an Al Qaeda franchise. "It is reported that Niaz has been arrested in France for his links with the terror group which is recruiting people for jihad in the Pakistan and Afghanistan region,” Chidambaram said.
He said the inputs that the government has on him, indicated that he was a trained activist "with a militant bent of mind".
"At 21, he had joined the SIMI based in Tamil Nadu. He has been on the radar of Indian intelligence agencies before being arrested (in France)," the home minister said.
Niaz was among the seven suspected terrorists held by French authorities earlier this month. But the French government has not linked them with any specific plan to carry out attacks in that country. After his arrest, French Interior Minister Claude Gueant had described Niaz as a man with a high level of technical training.
Niaz's mother is said to be living in South India but his father had migrated to the Gulf many years ago.
Chidambaram said Niaz first visited France in 2008 to find a job. "In a short period of time, he was able to build a nucleus of like-minded jihadis in France that consists of four French nationals of Moroccan origin, one French national of Turkish origin, one French national of Pakistani origin and two others."
He said Niaz used to hold monthly jihadi meetings which later became weekly meetings. "Further investigation is underway and we are in close touch with the French." French authorities have so far not said what charges were being pressed against Niaz.
According to reports, he was under the scanner of France's domestic intelligence agency, DCRI, because of his close association with highly radicalised Muslims there and his frequent trips to Pakistan from Algeria.
He is said to be associated with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, one of Al Qaida's franchises in Algeria.
