On Saturday, central intelligence agencies conducted nationwide raids against Islamic State (IS) supporters and cadre as part of a coordinated operation to counter the terror group’s threat. In Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, more than 25 pro-Islamic State individuals were apprehended.
Search operations are still underway, and more people are expected to be detained in three other states. The raids were carried out based on information provided to the relevant state police forces. According to sources, the detained individuals were apprehended ‘for sympathies with ISIS and preparations for violent action’. Interrogations and forensic examinations are taking place right now.
The Tamil Nadu Police arrested Erode-based Islamic State sympathisers Asif Mustheen and his associate Yasir Nawab John on Tuesday and recovered a knife, a black IS flag, incriminating documents, and digital media devices from their possession, according to CNN-News18.
According to top intelligence sources, the men had been on the agencies’ radar for some time. They claimed Mustheen had communicated with IS-Core in Syria/Iraq and expressed his willingness to carry out a suicide attack in India targeting Hindus, monasteries, and police stations. On July 24, Bengaluru Police arrested Akhtar Hussain Laskar, a city-based pro-Al Qaeda (AQ) subject originally from Assam, in another IB operation.
Based on Hussain’s revelations, one of his Salem-based associates, Mohd. Juba, originally from West Bengal, was arrested by Tamil Nadu Police. According to the sources, both Akhter and Juba were spreading AQ ideologies on social media platforms. They also stated that the duo was in contact with foreign (Bangladesh and Afghanistan) as well as pro-AQ entities based in India. ‘ They also intended to do ‘hijrath’ on J&K and join AQ ranks for ‘jihad’ against India,’ they said.
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