Kafeel Ahmed, India’s first global jihadi

The involvement of engineer Kafeel Ahmed in the failed UK terror attacks indicates the graduation of India’s country-specific jihadi terror infrastructure into the dangerous final stage — global jihad, with the United States and Europe as targets — warns the Intelligence Bureau.

Kafeel could prove to be the turning point. Terror outfits in the country till now, said a senior IB officer monitoring the probe to track the Bangalore link, have belonged to the “first stage”, which is targeted against India. “Till now, Indian and Western problems were different. For the West, it was about dealing with Islamic terror groups seeking revenge for the dismantling of their world, especially in West Asia, Asia and Africa. For India, it was fighting against terror groups sponsored by the Pakistan-Bangladesh axis. But these psychological separators have now merged, it seems. Kafeel represents an Indian terror-type that acted in the UK, seeking to avenge the perceived injustices done by it in Iraq and Russian actions in Chechnya. Kafeel may be the first global Indian jihadi.”

Intelligence officers point out that global terror groups like the Al Qaeda seek highly qualified, middle or upper-middle class recruits like him as they are more suited to handle complicated and nuanced terror operations. “Due to their education and well-to-do status, such recruits are expected to be more committed and productive. They are ready to give their life for their ideals and beliefs, or rage, not money.”