New Delhi: Charge sheet filed by the National Investigations Agency (NIA) clarifies that cryptocurrency Bitcoins is being used for terror funding in India. A Kashmiri couple, linked to the IS, had been arrested from Jamia Nagar in Delhi in March this year. NIA has filed a charge sheet in this matter, and this is the first expose of use of cryptocurrency for terror funding. It also becomes clear from the NIA charge sheet that this terrorist had planned terror attacks in India on a huge scale.
Jehanzaib Sami Wani and his wife Heena Bashir Baig were arrested in March. Both of them have been charged with planning terror attacks in the country. Sami wanted to carry out 100 blasts in India in a single day. Bitcoin cryptocurrency was chosen for funding this terror plan.
Wani was in contact with the IS operatives in Libya via the messenger app. It was revealed in Wani’s interrogation that discussions regarding arranging the funds using the Blockchain Technology were being held with these IS operatives in Libya. Wani also had discussions with these IS operatives for the supply of explosives. The couple was also in contact with a British woman from Syria. It has also been revealed that the British woman gave her Bitcoins’ details to Wani.
Blockchain Technology is used for the Bitcoins cryptocurrency. Tracing transactions in this virtual currency is complicated. Cryptocurrency has been used for narcotics trade in India. But this is the first instance of cryptocurrency being used for terror funding.
The use of virtual currency by terrorists and criminal gangs increases concerns of the investigation agencies around the world. As per the statistics published by the US legal department, on the 13th of August, cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars have been seized in this year. Out of these, 300 accounts were in the names of terrorist organisations Hamas, IS and Al Qaeda. Three weeks ago, 29 people funding Al Qaeda and other terror groups, using cryptocurrency, were arrested.
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