KUALA LUMPUR: Indian authorities have identified a Malaysia-based Rohingya terror cell that is plotting to launch strikes in several states in India.
According to a report in the Times of India website, the cell is led by a woman who is suspected to have been sent to Myanmar from Malaysia early this year.
The woman apparently received training for the strikes in Myanmar and her group was to infiltrate India via Bangladesh in mid or end December, likely targeting the states of Ayodhya, Bodhgaya, Punjab and Srinagar.
The news portal said from documents it had sighted, an Indian intelligence establishment is said to have intercepted financial links between the cell and controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik (pix).
It said a suspicious transaction amounting to about US$200,000 (RM810,000) was traced to a Kuala Lumpur-based Rohingya leader identified as Mohammed Naseer and Zakir, who is wanted by Indian authorities and is residing in Malaysia under permanent residence status.
The document states that a Chennai-based suspect, probably a hawala dealer or money-changer, received half of the funds.
On Friday, the intelligence establishment alerted the police and state intelligence bureaus of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal to step up their survelliance, putting it on high alert.
theSun contacted Bukit Aman yesterday for comments on the claims but federal police have yet to respond.
However, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, who spoke to Bernama, said police have not received any official report on it.
The police welcome information on the matter and are constantly monitoring any developments involving terrorists, he added.
“Police have always received cooperation from law enforcement agencies in foreign countries in tackling national security issues,” he said.
Abdul Hamid added that the police record in tackling any form of threats from terrorists have been good.
