FBI 'aggressively investigating' attack on Indian Consulate in San Francisco: Director Wray

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday (Dec 12) visited the NIA headquarters where he met with the counter-terrorism law enforcement agency's Director General Dinkar Gupta and issues related to acts and activities of terrorist-organised criminal networks were discussed.

The talks also included further developments on the ongoing investigations in the United States over the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, and probe around cyber-terror and cyber-crimes of various kinds.

NIA said that during the discussion, Gupta underlined the active nexus between the terrorist organisations and terrorist elements with the members of "Organised Criminal Syndicates which was spreading to the United States as well".

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Over this nexus, Wray said that "a blending of lines between terrorists and criminals was now visible in cyberspace as well. Terror incidents like 9/11 and the Mumbai attacks have changed the way in which nations respond to terror threats," according to a statement released by NIA.

The NIA DG also raised concerns about how the threats in the cyber domain were on the rise and the ways in which digital space was being extensively exploited by the extremists in order to propagate radical views across the globe.

He further highlighted that the Indian agency had also spotted the use of cryptocurrency for the purpose of terror financing.

"The two sides noted that with the advent of newer technologies at a fast pace, tracing, tracking and investigating crypto transactions is turning out to be a huge challenge. Both the agencies recognised the challenges posed by organised crime networks, terror-related crimes, cyber-enabled terror attacks, ransomware threats, economic crimes and transnational terror crimes," NIA said in an official press statement.

Wray also informed the NIA that the FBI was aggressively investigating the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.

FBI Director, Delhi Police Chief emphasise need to intercept criminals finding shelter across border

Wray, who is on his two-day visit to India, also met the Delhi Police chief where both agencies highlighted the threat posed by criminals who operate across borders while also stressing the need to thwart these individuals from finding shelter in different countries.

The discussions also touched upon closer cooperation from both ends to combat transnational cybercrimes, improve access to encrypted communication applications, and the imperative to share information.

The high-profile visit comes against the backdrop of allegations by Washington over India's alleged connection to a foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

(With inputs from agencies)