NIA arrests eight, including leader of ISIS Ballari module, seizes explosive raw materials

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested eight suspected terror operatives, including the leader of an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) module based in Karnataka’s Ballari. The agency said it foiled plans by the suspects to “carry out terror acts, especially IED blasts”.

The NIA officials arrested Minaz alias Md Sulaiman and Syed Sameer from Ballari; Mohammad Muniruddin, Syid Samiullah alias Sami and Md Muzammil from Bengaluru; Anas Iqbal Shaikh from Mumbai; Shayan Rahman alias Hussain from Delhi; and Md Shahbaz aliases Zulfikar and Guddu from Jamshedpur.

The agency said that Minaz was the leader of the other “ISIS agents arrested during the raids who were involved in actively promoting terror and terror-related acts and activities of ISIS, the proscribed organisation”.

“According to initial investigations, the accused had planned to use the explosive raw materials for the fabrication of IEDs, which were to be used for carrying out terror acts,” the central agency said.

The multi-state raids were held in 19 locations spread across Ballari and Bengaluru in Karnataka; Amaravati, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra; Jamshedpur and Bokaro in Jharkhand; and Delhi.

“The raids also led to the seizure of explosive raw materials, such as sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal, gunpowder, sugar and ethanol, sharp-edged weapons, unaccounted cash and incriminating documents, along with smartphones and other digital devices,” the NIA said.

Suspects were aiming at college students for recruitment

NIA had registered a case against the ISIS-inspired Ballari module on December 14, 2023. The NIA said that during the probe it found the suspects were "pursuing the path of violent Jihad, Khilafat, ISIS etc” and were in constant touch with each other through encrypted applications.

“They were specifically aiming at college students for recruitment and were also circulating documents relating to the recruitment of Mujahideen for Jihad,” the NIA said, adding that the raids on Monday were part of its efforts to destroy the ISIS’ terror conspiracy against India.

“The searches were carried out through close coordination and the operational assistance of Karnataka Police, Maharashtra Police, Jharkhand Police and the Delhi Police,” it added.