Russia says would-be Daesh bomber ‘trained in Turkiye to attack India’

The Russian authorities have arrested a member of Daesh who was apparently planning to carry out a suicide bombing in India. The Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow said that the individual planned to attack a member of India’s ruling elite.

It is thought the attack was intended to be a response to insults made against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the then-spokesperson for India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The comments sparked a diplomatic storm in June between New Delhi and some Muslim-majority countries.

Key points:
-IS operative name Azamov Mashahont; born in 1992
-Points to he bcmng operative this year; his Turkey visit
-In India he was to have a meet someone in preparation of attack
-Motive of attack was "insulting remarks on Prophet Muhammad" https://t.co/z3va1llX3b

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) August 22, 2022

On Monday, the Russian intelligence agency named the suspect as 30-year-old Uzbek national Mashrabkhon Azamov, who arrived in Russia after allegedly receiving training in Turkiye where he was recruited and radicalised. According to a recorded confession, Azamov claimed that he was meant to meet Daesh representatives in India to carry out the attack.

Russia’s Sputnik cited the FSB as saying that he was recruited by Daesh in Turkiye where he was “conditioned both online on Telegram and during in-person meetings in Istanbul over several months from April to June.” The terrorist then swore an oath of allegiance to the Emir of Daesh. “After that, he was tasked to leave for Russia, draw up the necessary documents and fly to India to commit a terrorist act.”

READ: UK charges alleged Daesh member with terror offences after Turkiye deports him