One of the three terrorists arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf’s connection to clerics, mosques and madrasas in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj has come to light. He was born in Fatehpur, studied in Ghaziabad and also stayed in Naini. He was apprehended from Lucknow.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist reportedly had a residence in Naini where he lived for a long time and the purpose of the network he was constructing there is a subject of investigation by security officials. His house has not been identified yet and a motorbike registered in Prayagraj was also recovered from him which he used for commuting.
Rizwan moved to Lucknow from Naini, but he continued to visit Prayagraj. He was in contact with multiple Muslim clerics along with the charge of many madrasas and mosques. Their relationship is also under the scrutiny of the agencies.
Shahnawaz alias Shafi Uzzama and Mohammad Arshad Warsi are the other two perpetrators who were nabbed along with him. The trio was plotting to carry out terror attacks in different parts of the country including the under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya which was surveilled by them.
Two ISIS terrorists were captured from Prayagraj’s Kareli two years ago. He regularly travelled to the region even then. The security agencies are currently looking into his potential ties to the terrorists associated with Kareli.
Special Cell of Delhi Police had launched a massive operation earlier this week to arrest terrorists associated with the terrorist organisation. Shahnawaz alias Shafi Uzzama a native of Delhi and an engineer by profession who had a reward of Rs 3 lakh was caught along with Arshad Warsi from Moradabad and Rizwan Ashraf from Lucknow.
All three have links with the terror outfit. Arshad Warsi is doing PhD from Jamia Millia Islamia and his name also appeared in the charge sheet of the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots where he was constantly in touch with Sharjeel Imam. He was involved in various unlawful activities including his association with ISIS (Pune module). He had provided safe haven to terrorist Shahnawaz who fled from Pune to Delhi after he managed to escape following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
