In November 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police successfully dismantled an ISIS module in Aligarh, leading to the arrest of 7 terrorists. On November 3, 2023, the ATS filed an FIR against 10 identified and several unidentified individuals involved in the case.
As of now, a total of 7 terrorists have been apprehended by the Delhi and UP Police, while others implicated in the terrorist network remain at large. The majority of these individuals, linked to ‘Aligarh Muslim University’ (AMU), had pledged to engage in jihad.
The ATS in-charge of Aligarh lodged the complaint, resulting in the registration of an FIR at the Gomti Nagar police station. This action follows a previously filed FIR in early 2023 at Mumbai’s Kala Chowki police station, citing offenses such as forgery, theft, and criminal intent. Details of the FIR can be found in this report by OpIndia.
The Uttar Pradesh ATS initiated an inquiry into the individuals mentioned in the FIR. During the course of the investigation, the ATS acquired information regarding Shahnawaz from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and Rizwan, who resides in Daryaganj, Delhi.
In response, the ATS placed Shahnawaz and Rizwan under surveillance. Subsequent conversations between the two exposed their active involvement with the terrorist organisation ISIS. Further inquiry unveiled that Shahnawaz and Rizwan are affiliated with the Aligarh Muslim University’s student organisation SAMU (Students of Aligarh Muslim University).
Prominent members of SAMU include Waziuddin, Abdullah Arslan, Maz bin Tariq, Abdul Samad Malik, Faizan Bakhtiar, Arshad Warsi, Mohammad Naved, and Rizwan Ashraf.
The accused in this case hail from diverse locations, including Aligarh, Chhattisgarh, Sambhal, Prayagraj, Delhi, and Jharkhand. Notably, Rizwan Ashraf is not affiliated with AMU. The entire group was influenced by the ideology of ISIS.
During the ATS investigation, Rizwan Ashraf and Arshad Warsi were apprehended by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on October 2, 2023. Shahnawaz, deeply involved with ISIS, had been establishing its network in Aligarh for an extended period. Shahnawaz’s associates arranged his marriage to Khadija in Aligarh, who, formerly a Hindu, had converted to Islam.
Additionally, Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf persuaded other members of SAMU to engage in jihad. Together, they distributed jihadi literature and worked on expanding their organisational network. Their activities also involved connecting other AMU students to ISIS.
Operating in Rampur, Kaushambi, Sambhal, Prayagraj, Lucknow, and Aligarh, these terrorists received guidance from ISIS handlers through various apps. The ATS asserts that their collective aim was to establish Sharia law in the country by waging war against India.
The ATS complaint further reveals that the accused were clandestinely amassing weapons with the intent of executing a major terrorist attack. All 10 named individuals have been charged under sections 121-A and 122 of the IPC, as well as sections 13, 18, 18B, and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.
Currently, Faizan Bakhtiar and Abdul Samad Malik are evading authorities, while all other named suspects have been apprehended by the Delhi and UP Police on different days.
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