NIA proposal to set up research cell on ISIS approved: Rajanth Singh

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the government has approved a proposal of the National Investigation Agency to open a research cell on terror-group Islamic State (ISIS). 

The Minister said that 100 new posts have been created in the NIA for effective investigation and supervision. "Terror funding is a big factor in promoting terrorism. The way NIA performed its role, the result is that there has been a decline in terror funding compared to earlier," Singh said.  

Appreciating NIA for its effective functioning, the Union Minister said the conviction rate of NIA is 92 per cent. "It means, the conviction rate (of NIA) is 92 per cent. It's a matter of pride for all us," he said. He also said that the circulation of fake Indian currency notes has also declined due to the combined efforts of the NIA and other Central and State agencies. NIA, he said, has achieved good success in establishing coordination with other agencies like State police and anti-terror squads of different states. 

He added that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided with a pertinacity that the time has come to wage a decisive battle against terrorism in the wake of the Pulwama attack, he said. "I am very happy to tell you that we are getting abundant support from the Islamic countries of the world," he said.

His statement comes on a day when Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj gave her address at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has, a first for India. 

"It is a pleasing thing that all nations of the world are coming onto one platform on the question of terrorism. All feel that a decisive battle should be fought against terrorism," he said.

The Home Minister was speaking after inaugurating two new office-cum-housing complexes of the NIA here and Guwahati, built by NBCC India at a cost of about Rs 77 crore.