7 Indian firms unintentional source of IEDs to IS, says report

February 26, 2016 12:31

A report by the Conflict Armament Research, which studies weapons-specific issues in conflict areas, finds that 'Indian firms have emerged as a leading, but unintentional, source of components used by the Islamic State terror group to fabricate improvised explosive devices (IEDs),' reports the Hindustan Times.

The CAR, which published the report after a 20-month investigation funded by the European Union, 'studied more than 700 IED components seized from IS forces by the Iraqis, Kurds and Syrians during major battles in their respective areas, such as Mosul and Kobane,' reports Yashwant Raj in the HT.

'The report names seven companies from India as the source of detonating cords and detonators, only the second largest supplier by country of origin after Turkey, with 11. But the report was unequivocally clear that these supplies were not intended for IS, and were not delivered directly to the terrorist group or to its known fronts or allies,' Yashwant Raj writes.

'Detonating cords from Indian companies were seized from IS forces, or found left behind by them, in the battles of Kobane in Syria and on the Makhmour front line in Iraq. Detonators from India, plain and electrical, were found at Kobane in Syria and Kirkuk and Erbil in Iraq. According to the product label, some were made in 2012,' he reveals.

You can read the Hindustan Times report here.

The HT does not name the 7 Indian firms, but you can read the CAR report here.

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