Intelligence agencies tracking Sajid’s roots learnt that he hailed from the Al Hasnath Colony in Toli Chowk, Hyderabad. While Hyderabad has had many stints with terror and radicalisation, there is no indication that Sajid was radicalised in India. The radicalisation took place in Sydney, and the father-son duo acted on their own.
However, it has been confirmed that they had been radicalised by the ideology of the Islamic State in Sydney. It was a completely ideology-driven attack that claimed 16 lives, officials say. The probe has led to one Wissam Haddad, a notorious cleric associated with the Islamic State. Haddad preaches the radical ideology of the Islamic State, and despite many warnings, the Australian agencies failed to act against him.
Indian Intelligence agencies say that Haddad is not a new name. He has been a controversial figure, and despite many warnings, no action was taken against him. This is a textbook Islamic State kind of operation, whereby the focus is more on radicalisation rather than training.
The Islamic State has once again managed to succeed in radicalising people, who have eventually gone on to carry out deadly attacks on their own, without much involvement on the training and logistical front by the Islamic State. Officials say that one can also draw parallels to the Faridabad module, which carried out the Delhi Red Fort blasts. This was a self-inspired module that espoused radical ideology. The members of this module were also radicalised by a cleric, Mufti Irfan Ahmed, before they went on to set up operations, officials point out.
Intelligence agencies have alerted the state police about possible attacks during the New Year celebrations. They have also warned about controversial preachers who are present in every corner of the country. The Islamic State has specifically identified many such preachers who are tasked with this duty and also with recruitment.
In the Australia case, it has been found that it was the son, Naveed, who began taking the classes with Haddad. He later introduced his father to the classes by the preacher. The agencies that have been analysing the content of Haddad’s speeches say that he can convince the youth and the elderly with ease. His messages are powerful, and in the last couple of years, he has focused heavily on the Israel-Hamas conflict. He subtly yet powerfully urges the people to target anyone associated with Israel. This explains the Bondi Beach attack on the Jews on the first day of Hanukkah, officials point out.
Intelligence officials say that in Australia, the writing was on the wall. Despite an ASIO undercover agent warning the agency that the preacher was indoctrinating young people at his Bankstown prayer centre, Al Madina Dawah Centre, no action was taken. Haddad has also never been charged with a terrorism offence despite the longstanding problems that Australia has faced at the hands of foreign terror organisations. Haddad has denied any role in the Bondi Beach attack. This is a perfect strategy and works well for the Islamic State.
The preacher is only part of the radicalisation programme. He never involves himself in the attack per se. He is also not part of the planning, training or logistics. Further, the fact that those he radicalises self-recruit themselves and carry out attacks gives him the deniability factor as no trail would lead up to him.
Haddad managed to radicalise the father-son duo over a period of five years. The police have not found any direct link between the attack and Haddad, but are investigating a trip made by the duo to the Philippines. The agencies suspect that they may have been trained over there.
Indian agencies that have warned against such preachers are also closely monitoring the situation as pro-Hamas chatter has risen. Preachers, even in India, who believe in radical ideology have been using the Israel-Hamas issue a lot in recent years. These preachers insist that India is pro-Israel and hence attacks must take place in the country as well. Even the investigations into the Faridabad module case found that the members were pro-Hamas and wanted to carry out major strikes in the country to avenge India’s proximity to Israel.
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