Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 9 men from West Bengal and Kerala. They are believed to be a part of the Al-Qaeda. 

They were arrested from Murshidabad and Ernakulam. While 6 of them were arrested from Murshidabad, 3 were arrested from Ernakulam. 

6 arrested from Bengal are Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal and Atitur Rehman, all residents of Murshidabad in West Bengal. 

The 3 arrested from Ernakulam are Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswas and Mosaraf Hossen. 

India Today adds that they were arrested after the NIA carrying out simultaneous raids at 11 locations in Kerala and West Bengal. The Al-Qaeda terrorists were planning to go to Kashmir for weapon delivery.

The anti-terror probe agency has said, "Preliminary investigation has revealed that these individuals were radicalised by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists through social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including Delhi and the National Capital Region."

NIA spokesperson DIG Sonia Narang said, "The module was actively indulging in fund raising and a few members of the gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition. These arrests have pre-empted possible terror attacks in various parts of the country."