This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

New Al-Qaeda Document Says The Global Terror Outfit Will Target Indian Army Officers

"Indian officers who have blood of Kashmiri brothers on their hands are our target."
Representative image.
AFP/Getty Images
Representative image.

The global terror outfit al-Qaeda has stated in a recently released document that it will target Indian military personnel and leaders of Hindu "separatist" organisations to avenge the killing of Kashmiris.

According to a Times of India report, in a document titled, 'Code of Conduct for Mujahideen in the subcontinent', the outfit has outlined who is on its hit list and made many references to Kashmir.

The document reportedly states that al Qaeda will target Indian military personnel, whether on duty or on vacation.

"Officers are a greater priority than soldiers. The greater is the seniority, greater is our priority to kill him. Those officers of the military who have the blood of our Kashmiri brothers on their hands are our targets," the report quotes the document as saying.

The document also states that Maulana Asim Umar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, was the chief of the so called al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

It also says that any hostages captured must either be traded for an al Qaeda prisoner, or be released for ransom, or be killed. The al Qaeda has also disclosed its intention of striking at targets inside Pakistan, "Arakan" (Myanmar) and Bangladesh.

An officer involved in counter-terror operations has told TOI that they are keeping a close tab on the activities of al Qaeda in India and that their style of working was very different from that of the ISIS. "The document mentions that the Mujahideen will not attack common Hindus, Muslims or Buddhists and also not strike places of worship," he said. "This is in sharp contrast with ISIS which has been targeting mosques on priority."

According to the report, AQIS was formed by Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri and Asim Umar in September 2014, and is backed by Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI. AQIS has sleeper cells in different parts of India.

Also on HuffPost India:

Pakistan's Deadly Heat Wave 2015

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.