Terror groups threaten attacks in India after inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 23, 2024 22:26 IST

Pakistan-sponsored terrorists have issued threats to carry out attacks in India after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, targetting “Hindutva forces” and celebrities who attended the January 22 event in Ayodhya.

In two separate threat messages seen by India Today, Farhatullah Ghauri – the fugitive Indian terrorist accused in several terror crimes – and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) have called the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla a “satanic incident” and sought to incite people for taking revenge.

Ghauri (60) released a video titled ‘Ram Mandir: Declaration of War’, calling for jihad against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to make India an Islamic nation.

The video purportedly carries the voice of Ghauri and features photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeting crowds at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, and former BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal who made controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad in 2022. It also threatens to target media persons.

In the propaganda video, Ghauri lamented at the declining support for terror activities from cities of Mumbai, Bhatkal, Azamgarh, and Hyderabad as images of the Ram Temple, hand grenades, knives, suicide jackets, bullets, guns, and bulldozers razing houses appear on the screen. He condemned as “sellouts” the liberal Muslim personalities like Aurangabad-based scholar Faiz Syed, who often denounces jihad, and former parliamentarian Mahmood Asad Madani.

Security experts believe that Pakistan-based terrorist groups will use the temple inauguration as an opportunity to exploit the sentiments of gullible youths to further their agenda in India.

WHO IS FARHATULLAH GHAURI?

Born in Hyderabad in 1966, Ghauri left for Dubai in the mid-90s at the age of 30 and later moved to Rawalpindi in Pakistan. He is accused in cases related to the attack on Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar in 2002 and conspiracy to eliminate political leaders in Hyderabad in 2004.

In 2016, he was charge-sheeted by the Delhi Police in a case about conspiracy to recruit Indian youths and establish a base of the terror outfit Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

According to police officials, Ghauri was the handler of three suspected ISIS terrorists who were arrested from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in October last year. Officials believe that Ghauri is handling a façade project, an IS module focused on India, created by the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to avoid international attention to its involvement in terrorist activities.

He has never given any media interviews or made public speeches, and has been so secretive that the International Criminal Police Organization or INTERPOL never succeeded in obtaining a clear photo of him.

In mid-2022, however, Ghauri caught the attention of intelligence agencies when he started releasing propaganda videos using a network of online assets, calling on Indian Muslims to revolt.

He is also known as Abu Sufiyan, Sardar Sahab, and Faru. Ghauri is considered a key figure in Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and is often identified as ‘Ustad’ among the cadre.

During his stay in Dubai, Ghauri is believed to have undergone several surgeries to protect his identity.

In October 2020, the Central government designated him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Ghauri is accused of attempts to murder, conspiracy, and abetment, illegal collection of arms and ammunition, and preparing to wage war against India.

The INTERPOL describes his appearance as having a moustache with Kashmir facial features. He uses thick lenses, has a potbelly stomach, and is a habitual smoker.