Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) With France arresting an Indian national over terror links, India Monday said it was in touch with the French authorities to obtain details, but ruled out seeking consular access to the arrested man.

France arrested Mohammad Niaz Abdul Rashid, who is from Tiruchirappali in Tamil Nadu and was an activist of the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), May 10 for operating a terror network and recruiting French nationals for his group.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters here that from the initial reports received by the government, Rashid had not recruited any other Indian national into his group.

But he had recruited eight French nationals of Moroccan, Tunisian and Pakistani-origin in his outfit, which was part of a network in Pakistan-Afghanistan axis.

Chidambaram said Rashid is a mechanical engineer, well acquainted with technology and well trained, with a militant bent of mind.

He had gone to France in 2008 and within six months of his stay there he was able to create a nucleus of jihadis, he added.

French police have arrested six other Islamic militants, along with Rashid, on the suspicion that the group was recruiting volunteers for joining a Pakistan-based terror outfit.

“It is reported that Rashid admitted that he was part of a network which is recruiting people for jihad in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region,” Chidambaram said.

“Further investigation is under way and we are in close touch with French authorities,” he added.

On seeking consular access to Rashid, Chidambaram said: “It is too early for all that. Let us see what investigation in France reveals.”

Chidambaram said Indian intelligence agencies had an inkling of Rashid’s terror links and that they had him on their radar for some time.