Bhatkal motivated youth with Osama videos: NIA

Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal motivated young Muslim boys for terror activities by making them watch videos of lectures by Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the NIA said in a charge sheet.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed another charge sheet Feb 20 against Bhatkal, Asadullah Akhtar, Manzar Imam and U. Ahmed for their alleged role in the conspiracy and participation in terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.

It was the second charge sheet in the case registered Sep 10, 2012, against members of the Indian Mujahideen for carrying out terrorist activities and conspiracy to wage war against India.

According to the charge sheet, Bhatkal downloaded from internet a number of documents which portrayed jihad as an obligatory act of every Muslim.

"He also downloaded lectures (taqreers) of Muslim leaders like Osama bin Laden, Al Yazeed, Al Zarkawi, C. Khateeb, Awlaqi from internet," the NIA said.

Bhatkal made young Muslim boys watch these videos and read the documents and motivated them to sacrifice their lives in the name of jihad.

"Bhatkal has said he used to motivate young Muslim boys by narrating stories of Muslim fighters who had waged jihad against non-Muslims in the past," said the NIA's charge sheet.

He also would often quote selected phrases from Islamic religious books in support of jihad.