Qaeda operatives out to recruit: Police

These modules were operational in western parts of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal , Maharashtra and Delhi, added sources.

The alleged Al Qaeda operatives were given the task of recruiting youth from the Indian subcontinent, said Arvind Deep, special commissioner of police of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell.

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“Mohammed Asif, 41, was held from Seelampur in northeast Delhi… another operative Abdul Rahman, 37, was held from Jagatpur area of Cuttack,” said Deep, adding they were booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

He said that police have recovered three mobile phones, a laptop and other articles, including documents of indoctrination and jihadi literature from Asif’s possession.

Asif, a class 5 dropout, tried to join terror outfit Harkat-Ul-Mujahideen in 2009, said sources. The writings and publications of Maulana Asim Umar, a senior member of AQIS, had a deep impact on him, said sources.

Asif used a social media site to get in touch with an AQIS operative working for Maulana Asim Umar in 2012, who encouraged him to attend a terror training camp in Pakistan, they said. The operative also asked him to arrange funds so that two more men, recruited by the terror outfit, could travel to Afghanistan.

Asif and the two men reached Pakistan in June 2013 and traveled to North Waziristan, said sources. Here, Asif finally met Maulana Asim Umar, who had been appointed the chief of AQIS by Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, said sources.

In Waziristan, Asif underwent intense training as he was supposed to head AQIS’s India operations after he returned.

Maulana Umar had initially been a member of HuM, before joining the Taliban and then the Al Qaeda, said sources.

“As the AQIS head, Umar pledged to take the frontiers of Islamic jihad towards the entire South Asian continent including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, with India being the centerpiece of action,” said Joint Commissioner of Police, special cell, Vivek Gogia.