A dubious plot of the terror operatives was thwarted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after it busted a suspected Islamic State terror module in Hyderabad .
According to a newspaper report, the terror operatives who had pledged their allegiances to the ISIS were plotting to trigger a communal riot during the Holy Month of Ramzan, besides bombing VVIP targets and other famous places in the Old City.
The NIA teams from Hyderabad and Karnataka arrested 5 and detained 6 others following late night raids in several places in the city.
The suspected terror operatives were in the process of “procuring the meat to be placed at Bhagyalakshmi temple to spark riots during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan,” reported the Times of India.
All the suspects had regular jobs and living with their parents or families in the city.
"We have arrested five accused persons so far. Questioning and verification of the role of remaining six suspects are going on," an NIA statement said.
The names of five arrested youths are Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani, suspected head of the module, Mohammad Ilyas Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi, Habeeb Mohammad and Mohammad Irfan.
The NIA sleuths also recovered weapons, ammunition, urea, acid, some chemicals, electronic gadgets and other incriminating material besides Rs 15 lakh in cash from their possession, officials of NIA and Hyderabad Police said, adding the youths were working at the behest of IS handlers.
Based on credible information that some youths hailing from Hyderabad and their accomplices have entered into criminal conspiracy to wage war against India by collecting weapons and explosive materials to commit terrorist acts, the searches were conducted at at least 10 locations since early hours of Wednesday with assistance of Hyderabad Police, a senior intelligence officer said.
The raids, meanwhile, also gave the BJP ammunition to attack the Telangana government and accused it of displaying "criminal neglect" in preventing Hyderabad from becoming a "safe haven" for terror elements.
"NIA busted an ISIS module in Hyderabad and raids are still underway. BJP questions TS (Telangana State) government on its criminal neglect in preventing Hyderabad and old city from becoming safe havens for terrorists," BJP state unit spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said in a statement.
(With inputs from PTI)
