Investigating agencies claimed that bomb-making manuals were among 'incriminating materials' seized from members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned by the government today, citing 'terror links'.
Troubles continue for the Islamic organisation, which said it made people aware of their rights, as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided their offices and residences across the country over the past two weeks, resulting in nearly 300 arrests.
Here's what the probe agencies found from PFI possession
Soon after the agencies revealed details of alleged proof of terror activities, including instruction booklets on how to make an 'IED', or improvised explosive device, 'using easily available materials'. The agency claimed, "One such document was recovered from Mohammed Nadeem, PFI leader from Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh. Document titled 'a short course on how to make IEDs using easily available materials' was recovered from Ahmed Beg Nadwi, PFI leader, Khadra, UP."
NDTV cited the agency's note as saying, that the PFI and its various front organisations had "a presence in over 17 states in the country and over 1,300 criminal cases have been registered by the police and NIA against cadres of the PFI and its front organisations in different states."
Another note had details of 'hundreds of incriminating materials' that listed 'brochure and CD related to Mission 2047, i.e., the document containing material for converting India into an Islamic State, from the possession of Maharashtra PFI's vice president, pen drives containing videos related to ISIS, Gajwa-e-Hind and more from UP PFI leadership'.
SDPI reacts to government's ban on PFI
The Social Democratic Party of India, PFI's political party, stated that the ban by the BJP-led government is 'a direct blow on democracy and the rights of people enshrined in the Indian Constitution'.
PFI attacks central agencies over raids and arrests
This comes after PFI issued a statement and termed the raids and arrests by central agencies 'a drama' and 'witch hunt' that were 'intended to generate terror'. It further said that the NIA and ED are 'two servile tools in the hands of the Hindutva regime at the Centre'.
"The organisation in its history of three decades has been endeavouring to prevent the youths from getting radicalised... and to bring them to the mainstream by instilling patriotism, strong allegiance to the Constitution of the country and respect the democratic values. The Popular Front has never thought of or endeavoured to establish Islamic rule in the country," the PFI said.
Further attacking the RSS, the Popular Front of India said that it is 'trying to engender unrest and thoughts of revenge amongst the Muslim youths, and to incite them to hold weapons and retaliate violently, so that eliminating them for these crimes would be easy'.
