The Uttar Pradesh ATS has nabbed three more accused linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind- a Kashmiri wing of Al-Qaeda. The arrests were made after the previous two arrested terrorists revealed the names of their accomplices during the interrogation.
As per the press note released by UP ATS, Shakeel (35), Mohammed Mustakim (44) and Mohammed Mueed (29) will be presented before the court for judicial custody. The accused have reportedly confessed to their crimes and will be interrogated further.
Inflammatory videos recovered from the terrorists
As per an ABP report, 12 suspicious videos have been recovered from the mobile phones of the arrested terrorists. It is said that these videos were sent to them by their handlers. The content of the video is reportedly to radicalize and brainwash the youth. Additionally, their call details revealed that most calls were made to people in Delhi, Meerut, Hardoi, Bareilly and Kanpur.
Based on this, the ATS has launched a separate investigation by forming three new teams to follow the trail further. One terrorist Minaj also established contact four times with two people based in Nepal.
Further, the arrested terrorists have also spilled the beans on their modus operandi. The handles and terrorists first establish contact through chats with prospect recruits, conduct a background check by the local community and then meet them in person before assigning them tasks.
Two terrorists arrested on July 11
A team led by IG ATS, GK Goswami, in a major operation arrested two terrorists, linked to Al Qaeda, from Kakori on the outskirts of Lucknow on Sunday. The two terrorists were reportedly hiding in a house in the Kakori area. The ATS team conducted a raid after receiving a tip-off about their presence.
According to ATS sources, two pressure-cooker bombs, a detonator, and 6 to 7 kilograms of explosives were also recovered from the house. The investigation and search operation is still on. Sources also revealed that a plan was being hatched to conduct a terror attack around Independence Day.