NIA swoops in on IS-like outfit, foils Republic Day attacks

A month ahead of Republic Day, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) busted an Islamic State-inspired module — 'Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam (War for the cause of Islam)' — in the heart of the national capital.

Intelligence agencies tracked the outfit for two months before swooping in for a series of simultaneous raids with the help of the anti-terror units of Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police.

In a series of 17 raids across New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, the NIA detained 16 men, including two students, and confiscated a rocket launcher, cache of arms and ammunition, and 25 kg of explosive materials.

NIA says the suspected terror group was planning multiple attacks at vital installations, security establishments and on important personalities in the National Capital Region (NCR). Agencies working alongside NIA confirmed that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office was one such target.

"The group comprises highly self-radicalised men aged between 20 to 25 years, who were in the process of making suicide vests to carry out fidayeen (suicide) attacks," Alok Mittal, NIA spokesperson said.

Anas Yunus, a 24-year-old from Jaffarabad, is said to be a student of Civil Engineering at a university in Noida. He was allegedly instrumental in procuring electrical items, alarm clocks and batteries. Zubair Malik, a 20-year-old from Jaffarabad, is a third-year student of BA in a Delhi university. Some of the other accused work in a garment business, a welding shop in Amroha, and ran a medical shop in Seelampur. A woman is also said to be involved.

Of the 16 detained, 10 have been arrested. They will be produced before the NIA Special Court in Delhi's Patiala Court House on Thursday. More arrests are likely.

"Raids are still continuing at various locations," an officer said.

"To disrupt and dismantle the module, searches were carried out at six places in Jafrabad and Seelampur in Delhi; 11 places in Uttar Pradesh, six in Amroha, two in Lucknow, two in Hapur and one in Meerut," an officer said, "Huge quantities of explosive material, arms and ammunition and other incriminating material and documents were seized."

Mufti Suhail, a maulvi of Amroha mosque, has been identified by the NIA as the chief of the IS-inspired module which was in touch with unknown foreign handlers. He would contact the members using WhatsApp and through Instagram. NIA said the group is self-radicalized and the members read literature online.

Acting on credible information about the group, NIA registered a case under sections of IPC and Explosive Substances Act and relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Mufti Suhail and his associates on December 20.

"The inputs were further developed, after field verifications, it was ascertained that Mufti Suhail and his associates had mobilized funds and procured weapons and ammunition to carry out terror attacks," said a source in the NIA.

"Ammunition confiscated includes a country-made rocket launcher, several weapons, ammunition and explosives. They were at an advanced stage of carrying a series of blasts," Mittal said. Explosive material included potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, sulphur, sugar paste, mobile phone circuits, batteries, 51 pipes, remote control car triggering switch, wireless digital doorbell for the remote switch, steel containers, electric wires, a knife and ISIS-related literature. There was also a large amount of cash, armament and mobile phones and SIM cards.

(With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)