News Brief
Postgraduate 'Bomb Expert' Among Five ISIS Suspects Linked To Pakistan-Backed 'Khilafat' Model Arrested In Multi-State Crackdown
Members of an Islamic terror outfit in Bangladesh (Representative Image)
Five suspected ISIS members, arrested in a coordinated operation across several states, were allegedly experts in making chemical weapons and operated a “Khilafat” model to recruit youth into the group, the NDVT reported.
Sources said the men were part of a sleeper cell tasked with assembling bombs, procuring weapons and expanding the outfit’s network.
The “Khilafat” model, reportedly directed from Pakistan, involved occupying an area and carrying out “jihad”.
The arrests were made in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Telangana. Aftab and Abu Sufiyan, both from Mumbai, were caught at Delhi’s Nizamuddin railway station.
Ashar Danish was detained in Ranchi, Kamran Qureshi in Rajgarh (Madhya Pradesh), and Huzaif Yemen in Telangana.
Danish, a postgraduate in English and believed to be the leader, went by the code name “Gazwa”. He had been staying in Ranchi since January, posing as a student.
“A pistol and several digital devices were recovered from the accused. Danish is an expert in making chemical weapons. Items and chemicals used by them for the purpose were recovered from their possession,” a source said, as reported by NDTV.
“It appears as though the group was assigned a major task,” the source added.
Chemicals seized included hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sulphur powder, pH checkers and ball bearings. Investigators also recovered cartridges, a laptop, mobile phones, weighing machines, beakers, gloves, respiratory masks and wired components.
Officials stated that the suspects were in constant contact with handlers in Pakistan via social media. More people linked to the network are being questioned.
