Suspected terrorist held in Faridabad: Central agencies probing 'sleeper cell' angle

Faridabad: Multiple central intelligence agencies are probing the involvement of sleeper cells in the arrest of a 19-year-old who is suspected to be a terrorist and could have been on his way to Ayodhya, sources said on Tuesday.

Abdul Rehman, a resident of Milkipur town in Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad, was picked up on Sunday from Palwal near Faridabad by a joint team of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Haryana Special Task Force.

An FIR against Rehman was filed at Dabua Police Station in Faridabad. He was produced in a city court and taken on 10 days' police remand.

According to sources, Rehman revealed during his interrogation that he had hidden two hand grenades in an abandoned house near Pali village in Faridabad.

Rehman is believed to have contacts with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, an STF official said on the condition of anonymity. Sources said that he was supposed to travel to Ayodhya on March 4.

"The matter is very sensitive and investigation is going on, so it is too early to say anything,” an official said.

The official said Rehman during interrogation claimed that he did not know the name and address of the person who provided the hand grenades.

Rehman came to Faridabad from Faizabad on Sunday by train. A handler gave him two hand grenades and he was supposed to go to Ayodhya by train with the bombs but was nabbed, a source said on Monday.

The Haryana STF has received information that a sleeper cell was supporting Rehman in Faridabad as they provided hand grenades to him, sources said.

Central intelligence agencies have launched a probe into the matter and are working with state security forces to dismantle any sleeper cells linked to this plot, they said.

Haryana STF is looking to identify local contacts, sleeper cells, and logistics support for the arrested suspect, the senior STF officer said, adding that more arrests are expected.