KATHMANDU: Suspicion has arisen that agents of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) may be present in Nepal after revelations surfaced linking a senior Nepal Police official to individuals involved in terrorism-financing activities. Interpol's National Central Bureau (NCB) in Singapore has urged the Nepal Police to investigate a DSP-level officer due to these suspicions.
Interpol, an international agency that combats transnational crime, has raised worry over ISIS-affiliated elements possibly operating in Nepal. According to Nepal Police, ISIS has a strong presence in Iraq, Syria, the Gulf countries, and sections of Africa.
DIG Dan Bahadur Karki, Nepal Police spokesperson, stated that an internal inquiry is ongoing into a DSP's interaction with ISIS-linked persons. The probe will also include additional suspected people tied to terrorism financing activities.
Interpol requested details from the Nepal Police about three Nepali individuals suspected of being involved in financing terrorism, raising alarm within the Nepal Police, which prompted them to monitor other suspected individuals closely.
Among those being investigated is DSP Hem Bahadur Shahi, a serving officer from Kailali, born in 1979. The Nepal Police has provided his details to Interpol for further investigation.
Apart from Shahi, Mahendra Jung Shah and Dipendra Bahadur Shah, who are both from Kalikot, were also subjected to background checks by Interpol's NCB Singapore. Mahendra Jung Shah is a long-term resident of both Dubai and Malaysia. He was previously the chairman of the Non-Resident Nepali Association in Malaysia.
Mahendra Jung Shah has been connected to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group ISIS since 2006. The security dangers are increased by the belief that there are additional ISIS members in Nepal.
It is estimated that ISIS has 40,000 fighters and more than 200,000 affiliates globally, including in Iraq, Syria, and other areas. ISIS quickly increased the number of militants in its ranks to about 15,000 by 2014.
There have been prior cases of individuals linked to terrorist activities entering Nepal. In 2011, it was revealed that Subhash Jha, an Indian criminal, had obtained Nepali citizenship under false pretenses from Sunsari.
Similarly, over 25 non-Nepali individuals, including international criminal Ali Ashraf Ansari and Indian extremist leader Niranjan Hojai, were also found to have illegally acquired Nepali citizenship from Sunsari.
Hojai, involved in armed insurgency in India's Assam state, had acquired Nepali citizenship, as did Subhash Jha, who was engaged in terrorism activities in India.
Jha and others involved in terrorist activities in various Indian cities had used fake documents to gain Nepali citizenship. Their activities raised concerns about Nepal being used as a base for international terrorists.
These findings have prompted heightened security measures and monitoring by the Nepal Police, with further investigations being pursued in collaboration with Interpol.
The investigation into the alleged ISIS links in Nepal is ongoing, and officials are working to ensure that the country does not become a haven for terrorist activities or financing.
The Nepal Police and Interpol are continuing their efforts to trace the individuals involved and mitigate any potential threat posed by ISIS-affiliated networks in Nepal.
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