A three-member module of terrorist organisation ISIS has been busted by the Delhi Police. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the trio had entered into the national Capital to create disturbances during Republic Day celebrations. They were also in touch with operatives to carry out terrorist attacks in the national Capital region and certain areas of Uttar Pradesh. Police said the arrested terrorists are part of Tamil Nadu-based ISIS module.
The terrorists have been identified as Khaja Moideen (52), Syed Ali Navas (32) and Abdul Samad (28), all residents of Tamil Nadu. Police said specific inputs were received earlier that three men will be arriving in Delhi from Tamil Nadu via Nepal with a design to carry out a terror strike in the Capital, NCR or Uttar Pradesh and afterwards, they had a plan to flee to Nepal and further to Pakistan.
According to Pramod Singh Kushwaha, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell, there was an intelligence input regarding their movement, which was further developed. Finally on January 9, tip-off was received that the three men Khaja Moideen, Syed Nawas and Abdul Samad, had arrived in Delhi from Nepal, taken a room on rent and also procured arms and ammunition.
"Acting on the tip-off, a trap was laid near Wazirabad Bridge, Delhi. The police team acted swiftly and apprehended three terrorists from the spot after a brief exchange of fire in the early morning hours on Thursday," said the DCP.
"Preliminary interrogation revealed that accused Khaja Moideen has links with ISIS. After being released on conditional bail in the communally sensitive murder case of KP Suresh Kumar in Southern India, he made detailed plans to revive the ISIS network in India through his co-associates," said the DCP. "Several rounds of closed door meeting were organized by Khaja Moideen in different hideouts to indoctrinate and also to pledge allegiance to ISIS. They were guided by a foreign based handler," said the DCP.
"Khaja Moideen along with Syed Ali Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Abdul Shameem, Thowfiq and Jaffar Ali decided to abscond from their respective places simultaneously. Initially, they divided themselves into two groups of three persons each. Khaja Moideena along with Syed Ali Nawaz and Abdul Samad went to Kathmandu, Nepal after illegally crossing the border with fake documents," said the DCP.
"After setting up a base in Nepal as a hideout, the terrorists came to Delhi after crossing over from the porous Indo-Nepal border. In Delhi, hideout and weapons were arranged by their foreign based handler through one of his contacts in city," said the DCP adding that further interrogation is going on.
In March 13, 2018, National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a chargesheet against Khaja Moideen for hatching criminal conspiracy, organising training camps and mobilising funds on behalf of terror group ISIS in Tamil Nadu and Telangana. "Moideen, resident of Tamil Nadu, was trained in Syria and entrusted with responsibility of spreading terror in southern states," said the sources.
"Abdul Samad was arrested by NIA in February 18, 2018. As a hawala operator, he worked as a conduit for the banned Pakistan based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Tayyeba's financier based in Saudi Arabia through his cousin," said a police official.