Indian agencies seek access to Uzbek suicide bomber in Russian custody
The Indian security agencies have asked their Russian counterparts, the FSB, to provide access to detained Islamic State suicide bomber who was planning to target India’s ruling leadership for “insult to Prophet.”
The Russian Federal Security Service detained Uzbek national Mashrabkon Azamov for trying to target India after being initiated into the ultra-conservative Sunni terrorist group, Islamic State, by one Yusuf Tajiki through Islamic radicalization in April 2022.
According to his confession, he underwent special suicide bomber training in Turkey, the hotbed of Islamic jihadists, and arrived in Russia to leave for India. The logistics and explosives were to be provided by “some persons” in India for the targeted attack.
It is understood that the Indian agencies have asked the Russian FSB to share the interrogation report of 30-year-old Azamov with the objective of unearthing the local Islamic State-affiliated module which was to provide weapons and logistics to the Uzbek national. India, on its part, has been on high alert since now suspended BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma made remarks on the Prophet during a TV debate. The suicide bomber claimed that he had been radicalized in person in Turkey as well through Telegram online platform for targeting India.
HT has learnt that associate intelligence agencies had warned their Indian counterparts in June 2022 that radical Islamists were in ferment and wanted to avenge the insult to Prophet. Since India had tightened the visa screening from certain countries including Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait and Central Asian Republics, the suicide bomber chose the Moscow route to avoid intense scrutiny.
The Indian agencies are in touch with both Russian and Uzbek counterparts to explore the possibility of Azamov being handed over to them for specific interrogation related to Indian end of the conspiracy. It is vital for Indian agencies to dig out the local module which was tasked to help Azamov as this will unravel the full conspiracy. Given the Indian close institutional tie-ups with both the Russian and the Uzbek agencies, there are strong chances that the Indian end of the conspiracy will be unearthed soon.
Pan-Islamic terrorist groups like the Islamic State of Khorasan Province, Al Qaida, Muslim Brotherhood instigated by anti-India elements based in Pakistan are trying to orchestrate violence against India by fanning religious sentiments over blasphemy. These groups have intersections with radicalized groups in India through connections in West Asia.