NIA busts ISIS-inspired module planning 'fidayeen attack' in north India, 10 arrested

The NIA on Wednesday arrested 10 people, including a group leader of a newly traced Islamic State module ' that was allegedly planning attacks in north India, especially Delhi, following raids conducted in 16 places here and in Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi and National Investigation Agency (NIA) vehicle parked in a locality during a search operation in connection with a probe into a new ISIS module called Harkat ul Harb e Islam, at Jaffrabad, North East district in Delhi. PTI Photo

NEW DELHI: The NIA on Wednesday arrested 10 people, including a group leader of a newly traced Islamic State module ' that was allegedly planning attacks in north India, especially Delhi, following raids conducted in 16 places here and in Uttar Pradesh. The NIA on Wednesday arrested 10 persons from Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi for their suspected involvement with a new ISIS-inspired terror module 'Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam' for allegedly planning to carry out blasts in north India, especially in the national capital. The National Investigation Agency conducted searches across 17 locations in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi in connection with its probe into the new module called 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam' and detained 16 suspects, out of which 10 were arrested after questioning, NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal said. The IG said the module was in touch with foreign handlers, whose identity is yet to be established. "Searches were carried out in Delhi's Seelampur locality, UP's Lucknow, Amroha and Hapur districts where a huge quantity of explosives, a country-made rocket launcher, 100 mobiles and 135 SIM cards were recovered," he said.

#WATCH NIA conducts a raid in Delhi's Jafrabad area in connection with a new ISIS module styled as 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam' . pic.twitter.com/GL1GjOa1tq

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2018

The NIA source said that questioning of those nabbed would reveal vital information about the module, their plans and handlers. "The level of preparation suggested they were planning to carry out explosions in near future by remote control blasts and fidayeen (suicide) attacks. This is a new ISIS-inspired module, they were in touch with a foreign agent," Mittal said. Five people were picked up from the western Uttar Pradesh district of Amroha following a joint operation with the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad, and five from the national capital. The group was under NIA surveillance for some time following inputs of their suspicious activities. An official told IANS a state-wide alert has been sounded after information was received about the presence of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind chief Zakir Musa holed up somewhere in Amroha.