'Close links with ISIS, recruitment through Telegram app'; 13 arrested in NIA conducted raids

MUMBAI: 13 people related to ISIS were arrested in a sudden raid conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Maharashtra. They were arrested in connection with the ISIS module case. NIA also raided various places in Karnataka. In Maharashtra, NIA raided around 40 places including Thane, Pune and Mira-Bhayandar. In Thane, NIA conducted inspections at around 30 centres.

In August, the NIA had arrested Akif Ateeq Nachan for making explosives. After this, the investigation team took five people into custody. Last month, the agency arrested Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Mumbai, Abu Nusayba alias Zubair Noor Muhammad Sheikh from Pune, Adnan Sarkar, Sharjeel Sheikh and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala from Thane.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency, which is probing the case against the Islamic State module in Kerala, had earlier arrested three people. Syed Nabeel Ahmed, a native of Thrissur Pavaratty, Shiyas TS of Nedumpura Kattoor, Thrissur, and Ashif, a native of Padoor, Thrissur, were arrested.

The IS module which was active in Thrissur was put under surveillance by the NIA in July. It was found that they collected money to promote terrorist activities and carry out terrorist attacks on religious centres and leaders. For this, looting of cooperative banks, nationalized banks, jewellers, and business establishments was planned. As part of this, thirty lakhs was stolen from an ATM counter in Palakkad.

A Telegram group was also created to recruit youth into the organisation.