Al-Qaeda threatens suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, UP cities over insult to Prophet

`The offenders of the Prophet Muhammad, the pride of humanity, shall find no amnesty or clemency, no peace and security will save them and this matter will not close with any words of condemnation of sorrow,` the Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent said in a threat letter.

New Delhi: Amid controversy over suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Muhammad, terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS) has threatened suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to "fight for the dignity of Prophet". In a statement dated June 6, 2022, the terror outfit has said that the "saffron terrorists should now await their end in Delhi and Bombay and in UP and Gujarat".

"The offenders of the Prophet Muhammad, the pride of humanity, shall find no amnesty or clemency, no peace and security will save them and this matter will not close with any words of condemnation of sorrow," the threat letter read.

"They shall find refuge neither in their homes nor in their fortified army cantonments. May our mothers be bereaved of us if we do not avenge our beloved Prophet," it added.

"We shall kill those who affront our Prophet and we shall bind explosives with our bodies and the bodies of our children to blow away the ranks of those who dare to dishonor our Prophet," the Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent said. 

The statement comes amid widespread anger in West Asian countries over controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by two former BJP functionaries. Several gulf nations have also summoned the Indian ambassadors over the remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has provided security to Nupur Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on the Prophet. She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.

"Sharma and her family have been provided police security after she alleged that she has been receiving threats and was being harassed over her remarks," an official said.

The BJP, notably, on Sunday had suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad escalated with protests from several Muslim countries.

After the action, Sharma unconditionally withdrew her controversial statement and claimed that her comments were a reaction to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva)", referring to the Gyanvap mosque row.

Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.

Sharma's comments, made during a TV debate a few days back, and Jindal's now-deleted tweets, have also sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.

(With agency inputs)