Suspected terrorist held in Faridabad Central agencies probing 'sleeper cell' angle

     Faridabad, Mar 4 (PTI) The investigating agencies are probing the involvement of sleeper cells in the arrest of a 19-year-old who is suspected to be a terrorist and could have been on his way to Ayodhya when he was apprehended, sources said on Tuesday.
     Abdul Rehman, a resident of Milkipur town in Uttar Pradesh's Faizabad, was picked up on Sunday from Palwal near Faridabad by a joint team of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Haryana Special Task Force.
     An FIR against Rehman was filed at Dabua Police Station in Faridabad. He was produced in a city court and taken on 10 days' police remand.
     According to sources, Rehman revealed during his interrogation that he had hidden two hand grenades in an abandoned house near Pali village in Faridabad.
     Rehman is believed to have contacts with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, an STF official said on the condition of anonymity.
     Sources said that he was supposed to travel to Ayodhya on March 4.
     The STF has recovered two mobile phones from Rehman’s possession. In the mobiles, some incriminating videos were also found, they said, adding that they also also found that he had shared several videos with a terror outfit.
     However, Rehman’s parents have rejected that he could be involved in any terror activities.
     "The matter is very sensitive and investigation is going on, so it is too early to say anything,” an official said.
     The official said Rehman during interrogation claimed that he did not know the name and address of the person who provided the hand grenades.
     Rehman came to Faridabad from Faizabad on Sunday by train. A handler gave him two hand grenades and he was supposed to go to Ayodhya by train with the bombs but was nabbed, a source had said on Monday.
     The Haryana STF has received information that a sleeper cell could be supporting Rehman as they provided hand grenades to him, sources said.
     The STF is looking to identify local contacts, sleeper cells, and logistics support for the arrested suspect.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)