Pak-backed terror module busted; 2 terrorists among 6 held

In a massive operation, the Delhi Police's Special Cell on Tuesday busted a Pakistan-organised terror module with the arrest of six men, including two Pak-ISI trained terrorists, officials said.

The terrorists were allegedly planning several blasts across the country, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, during the upcoming festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri and Ramleela, they said.

Police said that Pakistan-based Anees Ibrahim, who is brother of Dawood Ibrahim, was connected with the underworld operatives to execute the terror plan.

Interrogation has revealed that Pakistan terror module was being operated through two components -- via underworld and the Pak-ISI trained terror module, they said.

The accused, identified as Jaan Mohammad Sheikh (47) alias 'Sameer', Osama (22), Moolchand (47), Zeeshan Qamar (28), Mohd Abu Bakar (23) and Mohd Amir Javed (31), were arrested, following raids in Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Among the arrested, Osama and Qamar are Pakistan-trained terror operatives working under the instructions of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). They were tasked to conduct the reconnaissance of different suitable locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for placing IEDs, police said.

Addressing the press conference here, Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Neeraj Kumar Thakur said, "In a multi-state operation, we have arrested six persons, including two Pakistan-trained terrorists. Two among them, Osama and Qamar had gone to Pakistan for training this year, following which they returned to India."

Police said they got inputs from central agencies that a Pak-abetted and sponsored group of entities is planning to execute serial IED blasts in India.

"With the help of human and technical surveillance, it was found that the network was spread across various states. On Tuesday, we conducted raids simultaneously in different states and initially, the first accused, Sheikh, was apprehended from near Kota in Rajasthan while he was on a train on the way to Delhi," Thakur said.

Later, Osama was nabbed from Delhi's Okhla and Bakar from Sarai Kale Khan, while Qamar was apprehended from Allahabad, Javed from Lucknow and Moolchand from Rae Bareilly in close coordination with the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad team, the officer said.

"The arrest of the four accused has exposed the nexus of the Pakistan's ISI-sponsored and trained terror modules with underworld operatives and averted a slew of serial blasts and targeted killings in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states in India," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah.

Explosives and firearms were recovered from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh in a multi-state operation, he added.

Police said that the arrested men were tasked separately to execute different aspects of the terror plan.

The underworld operative Sameer, a close contact of Anees Ibrahim, was tasked by a Pak-based person connected with the underworld operatives hiding in Pakistan to ensure smooth delivery of improvised explosive devices, sophisticated weapons and grenades to different entities in India.

"Anees was acting on the behest of Pak-ISI and the underworld component was entrusted with two tasks, including transportation of arms and explosives and terror-funding, through hawala channels," said Kushwah.

Interrogation revealed that Osama had left for Muscat on April 22 by Salaam Air flight from Lucknow and after reaching there, he met Qamar, who had also come from India to join the training, said the senior police officer.

From Muscat, the duo was then taken via sea route to Jioni town near Gwadar port in Pakistan, from where they were taken to a farmhouse in Thatta in Pakistan, he said.

"They lived with three Pakistani nationals in the farmhouse. Two of them -- Jabbar and Hamza -- gave them training, who they claimed are from Pakistan Army as they wore military uniforms," Kushwah said.

"The two men were given 15 days training in making bombs, IEDs and committing arson with the help of items of daily use. They were also trained in handling and using firearms and AK-47," he said.

Interrogation has also revealed that after reaching Muscat, they were also joined by 15-16 Bengali-speaking people suspected to be from Bangladesh, who were later divided into sub-groups, while Osama and Qamar were placed in one group for training, police said.

Several sophisticated RDX-based IEDs, grenades, pistols and cartridges were transported from Pakistan via the underworld connect and these were sent to Uttar Pradesh for safe concealment. Sheikh, along with Moolchand, was tasked to hand it over to terror operatives in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country, they said.

Explosives and IEDs were to be used in heavy footfall areas during the upcoming festivities or at large gatherings, while it is suspected that the imported pistols and ammunition transported via Pakistan were to be used for the targeted killings, police said.

All the accused will be produced before a Delhi court on Wednesday and police will seek their 14 days custody for further investigation, they said.