The NATIONAL Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday busted a Maharashtra-based ISIS module by arresting four accused for allegedly promoting terrorist activities at the behest of ISIS, a proscribed terrorist outfit, in an Intelligence-led operation. The four were arrested following raids by the NIA in Mumbai, Thane and Pune on Monday morning. The accused have been identified as Tabish Nasser Siddiqui, a Nagpada resident, Zubair Noor Mohammed Shaikh alias Abu Nusaiba from Kondhwa, Pune, Sharjeel Shaikh and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala from Padgha, Thane. The NIA raids followed credible Intelligence inputs that Siddiqui, Shaikh, Sharjeel and Barodawala and their associates had allegedly recruited youths and trained them in making Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and weapons. The accused allegedly had also shared relevant material, including ‘Do it Yourself kits’ (DIY), amongst themselves for fabrication of IEDs and manufacture of small weapons, pistols etc, the official added. Further, on the directions of their foreign-based ISIS handlers, the accused had also allegedly created inflammatory media content, which was published in the magazine ‘Voice of Hind', in furtherance of the banned outfit’s agenda of terror and violence, the official added. An official said that they had registered a case on June 28 in connection with the ISIS Maharashtra following which searches were conducted at houses of the accused at five locations. NIA said that they seized several incriminating materials, such as electronic gadgets and several documents related to ISIS, during the searches at the houses of the accused. An official said, "The material seized exposed the strong and active linkages of the accused with ISIS and their efforts to motivate vulnerable youth to further the terror organisation’s anti-India agenda." An official said that preliminary investigations by the them have established that the accused had hatched a conspiracy to further the terrorist activities of ISIS, known by different names, such as Islamic State (IS)/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish/ Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham Khorasan (ISIS-K).The accused were trying to raise and operate a sleeper cell of the outfit in Maharashtra.
