Suspected ISIS operative sent to 15-day NIA custody

A suspected operative of terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, arrested for allegedly conspiring to carry out terror strikes in India, was on Thursday remanded to National Investigation Agency’s custody till February 19 by a Delhi court.

Azhar Iqbal, who was arrested from Madhya Pradesh by the NIA, was produced before District Judge Amar Nath during in-camera proceedings and according to sources, the NIA sought his custodial interrogation for 15 days.

They said the NIA told the court that Iqbal was required to be interrogated to ascertain the identities of his other associates and know about their funding pattern.

The sources also said the NIA told the court that the accused was required to be taken to various places in the country for the purpose of investigation.

Iqbal, a resident of Barkheda Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, was arrested by the NIA as part of the agency’s crackdown on sympathisers of the West Asian terror group ISIS.

On January 25, 12 ISIS suspects arrested from across the country were sent to 13 days in NIA custody after the court was informed that they were allegedly planning to carry out attacks ahead of the Republic Day.

The 12 accused were Abdul Ahad, Imran, Mohd Afzal, Mohd Sharif, Mubabiir Mushtaq Sheikh, Mohd Alim, Syed Mujahid, Suhail Ahmed, Asif Ali, Njmul Huda, Mohd Obaidullah Khan and Mohd Hussain Khan, the sources said.

These arrested accused were allegedly in regular touch with active members of the ISIS in Syria through internet chat via social networking applications, sources said.

Earlier, two suspected terrorists -- Abu Anas and Nafees Khan, both aged 24 years -- were remanded to NIA custody for 13 days on the allegations that they had ISIS links. They were arrested under several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Image: Suspected ISIS member Azhar Iqbal being produced at a court in Bhopal after his arrest. Photograph: PTI Photo