Last week, the Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Shahnawaz, a.k.a Shafi Uzzama. Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) terrorists under his command had planned terror attacks in Kerala. Prior preparations were made to set off bomb blasts at different places, including Sabarimala temple. This crucial information was obtained when three terrorists were interrogated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Delhi’s Special Police Commissioner (CP) HGS Dhaliwal said that ISIS terrorist Shahnawaz and his gang, arrested recently, had also reached Kerala. Officers reportedly stated that Shahnawaz and his group lived in the forest area near Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
Delhi Police’s Special Cell has found pictures of Shahnawaz, who stayed in forest areas of Kerala near Sabarimala temple for several days. The Islamic terrorists planted an ISIS flag and took pictures. These images were recovered. Shanawaz came to form a new group centered on Kerala.
Special Cell officers also stated the sleeper module planned to attack various places in South Bharat. Some Keralites involved with Shanawaz have not been found.
Investigators recovered bomb-making literature sent from Pakistan-based handlers. “Many components for constructing explosives, such as bare plastic tubing and iron pipes, were found. A pistol, ammunition, and bomb-making material delivered by handlers in Pakistan were also found, according to the Special CP (Special Cell).
Two others were arrested, and Shanawaz belonged to the ISIS sleeper cell. Arshad Warsi and Muhammad Rizwan Ashraf were with Shahnawaz for their activities in North Bharat. They also made efforts to form groups centered on the Western Ghats. Ashraf and Warsi were arrested from Lucknow and Moradabad, respectively.
All three arrested in the case are BTech graduates. Shahnawaz was on NIA’s most-wanted list. He came to Kerala to spread terror activities. NIA had announced a reward of Rs 3 lakh for information about him. According to the police, initial questioning revealed that these terrorists had conducted extensive surveillance throughout the Western Ghats of southern Bharat, particularly Hubbali, Dharwad, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, to find their hiding places.
Members from this group stole a bike in Pune to carry out blasts. Trial run detonations were carried out using cookers, gas cylinders, and IEDs in forested areas and vacant agricultural land. Shahnavaz, who obtained his BTech in Mining Engineering, is also trained in bomb-making. Delhi Police captured them while they were planning massive attacks.
They had collected explosives, containers, and pipes for making explosives. Other terror groups on foreign soil were contacted via the Internet, seeking guidance to test the blast’s power and increase its intensity. Dhaliwal said the terrorists were acting according to the instructions from foreign-based handlers. He added that the terrorists aimed to establish an Islamic State in the country by waging war against the government and destroying peace and unity.
Shahnawaz, an engineer, is a Delhi resident who escaped from the authorities in Pune and was living in Delhi. Following their attempted robbery of a two-wheeler on 18 July, Shahnawaz and two other men—Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki—were apprehended by the Kothrud police in Pune. Shahnawaz jumped out of the police vehicle and managed to flee as the police were transporting them to their home in Kondhwa, Pune, for a search.
Khan and Saki, who are natives of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, were involved in a different terror case that was reported in Rajasthan, where explosives were recovered in a car in March 2022, according to the police. A 5 lakh bounty was placed on the heads of both Khan and Saki.
On 22 July, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took over the investigation. They detained several individuals, including SN Kazi and IT engineer Qadir Dastagir Pathan, at Kondhwa. The agency booked Khan, Saki, and other suspects under the strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
During interrogation, Khan and Saki revealed that Shahnawaz had acid stockpiled in Bopatghat near Kondhwa. NIA officers called on the Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad and removed the acid and other chemicals needed to build bombs. Additionally, the ATS seized several pieces of digital evidence and discovered 500 GB of data on the accused’s laptops and smartphones. They contained links to YouTube videos on how to make explosives and Google photos of various locations.
Dahiwal informed that Shahnawaz is married to a Hindu lady, Basanti Patel, whom he later converted to Islam. After conversion, Basanti became Mariam. Currently, the detained terrorists are being interrogated.
More details awaited.
