US mercenary VanDyke, others behind drone attack on Myanmar plane: NIA to court

The NIA made the claim before a Delhi court while seeking permission to interview US mercenary Matthew Aaron VanDyke and Ukrainian Kaminskyi Viktor inside Tihar Jail, where they are currently lodged. The agency's application was approved on August 31.US mercenary Matthew Aaron VanDyke The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told a Delhi court that seven foreign nationals, who were arrested in March in relation to carrying out terror activities, were involved in a drone attack on a civilian aircraft in Myanmar.These men, six Ukrainians and American mercenary Matthew Aaron VanDyke, are currently lodged in Tihar Jail. The federal agency made the big claim while seeking permission to interview Ukrainian national Kaminskyi Viktor and VanDyke inside the prison. Its application was approved on August 31.According to the NIA application, the Centre received "credible information" indicating the involvement of certain Ukrainians and a US national in a drone attack on a civilian plane in Myanmar.It said that as many as 14 Ukrainians had entered India on tourist visas on different dates and travelled by air to Assam's Guwahati. From there, they allegedly travelled to Mizoram without the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Protected Area Permit (PAP). They subsequently entered Myanmar illegally to undergo pre-scheduled training in drone warfare, drone operations, assembly and jamming technology. The training was intended for Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs) targeting the country's military junta, the federal agency claimed.The NIA further told the court that scrutiny of data extracted from devices seized from the accused had revealed "incriminating information and facts" in the form of images, videos and voice samples. It said that the material needs to be confronted by the arrested accused and corroborated with their statements as part of the investigation. While accepting the NIA's application, the Delhi court said that there was no specific law or judgment preventing it from allowing the NIA to conduct the interrogation, adding that courts ordinarily should not interfere with an ongoing investigation.Meanwhile, the defence's side objected, saying the NIA's decision to seek interrogation at this stage was not unsupported by legal or factual reasoning.WHAT IS THE CASE?In March, the NIA arrested the seven foreign nationals from three airports across three cities. VanDyke was arrested from Kolkata, and three Ukrainians were held from Lucknow and Delhi each.The NIA claimed that VanDyke and the Ukrainians contacted EAGs and engaged in training activities. The agency further alleged that these EAGs were linked to insurgent organisations in the Northeast.Recently, VanDyke grabbed headlines after approaching a Delhi court seeking permission to prepare his own meals inside Tihar. He argued that he was unable to eat for more than a month because of the prison's spicy and oily food. He sought permission to follow a 'American-style diet' comprising pasta, toned milk, olive oil, red meat, chicken and fish (including shrimps), among others.- EndsPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 14:55 IST