New Delhi, August 5: The Delhi High Court has upheld a lower court’s decision to extend the investigation period for seven foreign nationals arrested on charges of providing terrorist training in Myanmar. The court dismissed a petition challenging the Patiala House Court’s ruling by the accused individuals.
Recently, the Patiala House Court granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) an extension from 90 days to 180 days to complete its investigation into the case involving six Ukrainian nationals and one American citizen under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The NIA informed the court that this case is linked to a pan-India and transnational criminal conspiracy. Additional time is required to uncover the larger plot and connect the network that spans across borders.
According to the NIA, the arrested foreign nationals are accused of being in contact with ethnic groups in Myanmar. They allegedly provided training in weapon handling and drone operation to terrorist groups. It is claimed that they imported drones from Europe and taught their use to terrorists in Myanmar. The NIA arrested all individuals after their return to India.
The agency reported that the American citizen was apprehended in Kolkata, while three Ukrainians were captured in Delhi and three others in Lucknow. The six arrested Ukrainians have been identified as Herba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stephen Marian, Honcharuk Maksym, and Kamynski Viktor. The American citizen has been identified as Matthew Vandike.
The NIA asserts that a significant international conspiracy underlies this entire network. Providing military training to terrorists on foreign soil and supplying technology such as drones poses a serious security threat. The agency aims to investigate the connections, funding sources, and future plans of these individuals in India and other countries. This is the reason for the request to extend the investigation period.
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