NIA foils Islamic State terror plans, arrests eight from Karnataka; explosives and weapons seized

PTC Web Desk: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has successfully thwarted plans of an Islamic State module in Karnataka's Ballari by arresting eight terrorists in coordinated raids across 19 locations in Karnataka, Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, Delhi, and Jharkhand. The agency seized caches of explosive materials such as sulphur, potassium nitrate and gunpowder, along with weapons, documents outlining planned strikes, sharp-edged weapons, cash, and digital devices.

The leader of the Ballari module, Minaz aka Mohammed Sulaiman, was among those apprehended in joint operations conducted by the NIA and the local police. The terrorists communicated via instant messaging apps, plotting to use the recovered explosive materials for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to carry out undisclosed terror activities. Additionally, their agenda reportedly involved radicalising and recruiting college students.

The NIA had initiated a case against the Ballari module a week prior and collaborated closely with state police and other central agencies to track down and arrest the terrorists. Earlier, the NIA had conducted raids in Maharashtra, arresting 15 suspects, including a module leader who was initiating new recruits. Related raids were also carried out in Bengaluru, linked to radicalisation by a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist.

The agency also raided locations in Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, seizing an Indian Army uniform, arms, ammunition, cash, jewellery, and incriminating evidence. It revealed that the arrested suspects were associated with the banned group PLFI (People's Liberation Front of India) and were involved in planning terrorist activities. The investigation uncovered that PLFI cadres were extorting money from coal traders and businessmen across Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha to fund their terror operations.

- PTC NEWS

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