Talking to media here on Monday Chidambaram said that Niaz was on the radar of intelligence agencies in this country as he has been an activist of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
Mohammed Niaz, originally from Trichy in Tamil Nadu, was arrested at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on May 10 on his arrival from Algeria, where he had developed links to an al Qaeda group.
“It is reported that Niaz has been arrested in France for his links with the terror group that is recruiting people for jihad in the Pakistan and Afghanistan region. He was believed to be in France on an employment visa,” Chidambaram said.
“At the age of 21, he joined the SIMI based in Tamil Nadu. He has been on the radar of Indian intelligence agencies before being arrested in France,” home minister said.
Mr Chidambaram said that investigations were underway and India was in a close touch with the French Government. Niaz was among seven suspected terrorists held by French authorities earlier this month. But the French government has not linked them with any specific plan to carry out attacks in that country.
After his arrest, French Interior Minister Claude Gueant had described Niaz as a man with a high-level of technical training. Mr Chidambaram said Niaz first arrived in France in 2008 to find a job.
“In a short period of time, he was able to build a nucleus of like-minded jihadis in France that consists of four French nationals of Moroccan origin, one French national of Turkish origin, one French national of Pakistani origin and two others.” He said.
Reports suggest that Niaz admitted that he was trying to work for the cause of Islam and trying to defend it. Reports also indicate that he had been working in France for a number of years as a mechanical engineer. He also made frequent trips to India where his family resides and also made visited Pakistan