NIA arrests 8, says IS module was planning terror attacks

“Today, we have arrested one Minaj alias Md Sulaiman and Syed Sameer from Ballari, Anas Iqbal Shaikh from Mumbai, Mohammad Muniruddin, Syed Samiullah alias Sami, Md Muzammil from Bengaluru, Shayan Rahman from

Delhi and Md Shahbaz alias Zulfikar Guddu from Jamshedpur,” an NIA spokesperson said in a statement. “The eight agents arrested during the raids were involved in actively promoting terror and terror-related acts and activities of the ISIS…. They were operating under the leadership of Minaz alias Md Sulaiman,” the spokesperson said.

The NIA said materials used to make explosives such as sulphur, potassium nitrate, gunpowder were seized during the raids along with sharp-edged weapons, unaccounted cash and incriminating documents. Smartphones and other digital devices were also seized from the possession of the suspects.

“Initial investigations revealed that the accused had planned to use the explosive raw materials to make IEDs, which were to be used for carrying out terror acts. Probe has further revealed that the accused… were continuously in touch with one another via encrypted apps. They were specifically aiming at college students for recruitment, and were also circulating documents relating to recruitment of Mujahideen for the purpose of jihad,” the spokesperson said.

The NIA had registered a case against the IS inspired Ballari module on December 14. “It has, since then, been working closely with the state police and central agencies to track and apprehend members of this module. The anti-terror agency has been conducting large-scale crackdowns and has busted various ISIS modules in recent months. Several terror operatives have been arrested in these raids by the NIA,” the spokesperson said.