New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said it has arrested a suspected terrorist for his alleged links with Myanmar-based rebel groups and conspiring to wage war against India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur.
An NIA spokesperson said that Moirangthem Anand Singh was arrested in the case related to a "transnational conspiracy by Myanmar-based leadership of terror outfits to wage a war against the Government of India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in the State of Manipur". The case was registered suo moto by the NIA on 19.7.2023 in New Delhi, the spokesperson said.
Singh was one of the five persons arrested by Manipur Police for possessing weapons looted from police armoury. The arrest had led to agitation by the majority community, who were claiming them to be village defence activists.
"Investigation revealed that in furtherance of the conspiracy hatched by the leadership based in Myanmar of insurgent groups, proscribed terrorist Organizations are recruiting Over Ground Workers (OGWs), cadres and sympathisers to augment the strength to carry out attacks on security forces and opposing ethnic groups by exploiting current unrest in the state of Manipur. And for this purpose, the aforementioned leadership are collecting arms, ammunition and explosives by unlawful means, including plunder and pillage of government facilities and resources," the spokesperson said.
The accused, NIA said, was brought to New Delhi after his arrest and produced before the Jurisdictional Court on Saturday. The Court has remanded the accused to Police custody for a period of five days till September 27.
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