The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 19 locations across four states on Monday in yet another operation against the ISIS cell in India. The NIA teams arrested eight ISIS agents on suspicion of inciting acts of terrorism and terrorist-related activity. The nodal agency for anti-terror operations claims that they have prevented the accused from carrying out terrorist activities, including as detonating IEDs. The chief of the module, Minaz, alias Md. Sulaiman, is also detained by the NIA.
The NIA personnel searched nineteen locations: Delhi, Jharkhand (Jamshedpur and Bokaro), Maharashtra (Amaravati, Mumbai, and Pune), and Karnataka (Ballari and Bengaluru).
During the operations, the NIA also discovered raw materials that were used to make explosive devices. The agency seized chemicals such as ethanol, gunpowder, sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sugar. Sharp-edged weapons, cash that was not declared, and damaging papers were among the other items seized during the raids in addition to cellphones and other electronic equipment.
The officials of the NIA were quoted by the news agency ANI saying, "Those arrested have been identified as Minaj alias Md. Sulaiman and Syed Sameer from Ballari; Anas Iqbal Shaikh from Mumbai; Mohammad Muniruddin, Syid Samiullah alias Sami, and Md. Muzammil from Bengaluru; Shayan Rahman alias Hussain from Delhi; and Md. Shahbaz alias Zulfikar alias Guddu from Jamshedpur."
India's assault against ISIS modules
As it works tirelessly to bring down the multiple ISIS units that are functioning in India, the NIA is now conducting raids around the country. 44 people were detained by the agency on December 9 during operations in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The operations were linked to plots by proponents of violent and extremist ideologies that receive backing from terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
On December 13, the NIA conducted a number of searches in Bengaluru in an attempt to identify persons who could be linked to terrorist activities. According to one insider, "These operations are essential to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) ongoing efforts to stop ISIS from carrying out terrorist acts and endangering innocent lives."
