The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday said it has arrested an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent/Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AQIS/AGH) operative in a case of conspiracy by Al-Qaeda to conduct an IED blast in Lucknow.
The NIA arrested one accused person namely Tawheed Ahmad Shah of Akbar Colony, Aribagh, Manchowa, police station Chadoora, Budgam, Jammu & Kashmir in connection with investigation of the case, the agency said in a statement.
The case was registered by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Uttar Pradesh as FIR 10/2021 on July 11, 2021 at police station ATS Gomtinagar against the accused persons who had entered into a conspiracy for recruiting members for Al-Qaeda affiliate AGH (Ansar Ghajwatul Hind) and for committing terrorist acts in Lucknow, it said.
Earlier, the NIA had arrested five accused persons in the case against whom chargesheet was filed on November 5.
“Investigation revealed that the arrested accused Tawheed was the mastermind of the conspiracy for recruitment and to commit terrorist acts in the name of AGH; including procurement of arms, ammunitions and explosive materials to be used for attacks in UP,” it said, adding, further investigation in the case is continuing.