In a massive crackdown on terror, the Delhi Police on Monday (2 October) arrested Shahnawaz, a suspected ISIS terrorist wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) with a bounty of Rs 3 lakh on him. Two more ISIS-linked suspects have been arrested in the massive search operation.
According to the Delhi Police, the module planned to carry out terror attacks across India through instructions from foreign-based handlers. Shahnawaz alias Shafi Uzzama was arrested by the Delhi Police special cell from a hideout in the national capital.
Shahnawaz is an engineer by profession and was wanted in the ISIS Pune module case. According to reports citing sources, Shahnawaz is originally from Delhi but had moved to Pune. Two of his associates were arrested in a raid in July, while Shahnawaz managed to flee, returned to Delhi, and lived in a hideout.
The NIA has also recovered chemical substances from Shahnawaz and other incriminating material suspected to be used for IED fabrication. The NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh each for information about Shahnawaz and three other terror suspects namely Rizwan Abdul, Haji Ali, Abdulla Faiyaz Shaikh alias Diaperwala, and Talha Liyakat Khan.
Shahnawaz, Abdulla, and Rizwan were radicalised into joining the ISIS mission over the Telegram app and planned to engineer violence and terror in the country, according to NIA sources cited by NDTV.
Abdulla ran a diaper store in Pune that used to assemble explosive devices. NIA sources have told NDTV that he may try to escape to Oman.
Delhi-based Rizwan Ali and his younger brother were arrested in 2018 for alleged ISIS links but no substantial evidence was found against them. He was released after a deradicalisation programme.
Rizwan had gone to Pune two years ago and told his parents that he was running a computer business there. He got married there and lived with his wife and the couple returned to Delhi after Rizwan’s father got ill. It was two months ago that Rizwan left his home.