National Desk, 13th December: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) executed searches at multiple locations in Bengaluru as part of a terrorism conspiracy case. Collaborating closely with the state police, several NIA teams conducted raids based on specific inputs.
This action follows the recent arrest of 15 operatives linked to the banned terror outfit ISIS during extensive raids across Maharashtra and Karnataka on December 9. The NIA teams targeted around 44 locations in Padgha-Borivali, Thane, Mira Road, Pune in Maharashtra, and Bengaluru in Karnataka, apprehending the accused involved in promoting terror and related acts.
The raids resulted in the seizure of significant amounts of cash, firearms, sharp-edged weapons, incriminating documents, smartphones, and other digital devices. These efforts are part of the NIA’s ongoing initiatives to disrupt and dismantle the activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The NIA disclosed that the arrested individuals, part of the ISIS Maharashtra module, had orchestrated the conspiracy in Padgha-Borivali to spread terror and commit acts of violence across India. Their goals centered around violent Jihad, Khilafat, and ISIS ideologies, aiming to disrupt the peace and communal harmony of the country.
Initial investigations unveiled that the accused had self-proclaimed the village of Padgha in rural Thane as a ‘liberated zone’ named ‘Al-Sham.’ The main accused, Saqib Nachan, leader of the ISIS module, administered the ‘bayath’ to individuals joining the proscribed organization.
In recent months, the NIA has conducted extensive raids, dismantling various ISIS modules and arresting numerous terror operatives involved in ISIS-related conspiracies. The agency’s concerted efforts aim to thwart the heinous activities of the organization across India.