On Saturday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) busted an ISIS-linked terror module in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh following 13 raids conducted overnight on May 26-27. The NIA has also arrested three persons during the raids.
The three people who had been arrested, Syed Mamoor Ali, Mohammad Adil Khan, and Mohammad Shahid, were produced before a special judge, who remanded them in NIA custody until June 3. Sharp weapons, ammunition (including prohibited bore), incriminating documents, and digital devices were recovered by the raiding teams.
In a press release, the NIA stated that arrested terror operative Adil Khan who was on the agency’s radar since August 2022 and his aides were promoting ISIS propaganda through social media and on-ground ‘Dawah’ programmes to carry out terrorist activities at the behest of ISIS.
“On May 24, registered a case (RC-14/2023/NIA/DLI), during its investigations into the pro-ISIS activities of Mohammad Adil Khan, who came to the agency’s notice in August 2022. The NIA learnt that he and his associates were involved in disseminating ISIS propaganda through social media platforms, as well as through on-ground ‘Dawah’ programmes, in order to unleash violent terror attacks in India at the instance of ISIS. The module had been conducting meetings/Dars in local Masjids and houses and hatching plans and conspiracies to spread terror in the country,” the press release stated.
According to the NIA investigation, the three accused were “highly radicalised and determined to carry out violent jihad.”
“They were collecting funds, disseminating ISIS propaganda material, motivating and recruiting youth, and trying to acquire arms and ammunition with the intent of carrying out terrorist acts,” the NIA said.
It has been alleged that Ali created a local group/Tanzeem called ‘Fisabilillah’ and ran a WhatsApp group with the same name. “He was attempting to obtain pistols and was in contact with a Jabalpur-based illegal arms supplier for this purpose.
The NIA alleged that Adil, a fervent ISIS supporter, had assembled an active group of like-minded radicalised persons in Jabalpur. “Some of the module members were already contemplating flight to conflict theatres, while others had plans to form a local outfit for carrying out violent jihad in India,” the statement stated, adding that he was also running multiple YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp channels for recruiting youngsters into the ISIS.
This comes days after Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) busted the Bhopal-Hyderabad terror module of the Islamist terrorist organisation Hizb-Ut-Tahrir (HuT). The MP ATS conducted a RAW and IB-style operation to nab 16 HuT terrorists on May 9. A case was registered against these accused under UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967) and other relevant sections.
