In a significant operation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids on December 9, arresting 15 individuals associated with the ISIS Maharashtra module. The raids spanned 44 locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The arrested individuals believed to be part of a terror network, had declared the village of Padgha in rural Thane as a ‘liberated zone’ named ‘Al-Sham,’ resembling areas in Syria.
According to the NIA’s initial findings, the accused were motivating susceptible Muslim youth to relocate to Padgha, aiming to strengthen their base. The leader of the ISIS module, identified as Saqib Nachan, was reportedly administering an oath of allegiance to the Khalifa of ISIS to the recruits.
Who is Saqib Nachan?
- Saquib administered ‘Bayath’ to recruits, signifying an oath of allegiance to the ISIS Caliphate.
- B.Com graduate Saquib operated the terror network under the guidance of foreign handlers.
- Pursued the path of Jihad, Khilafat, and ISIS to spread terror and commit acts of violence across India, targeting the Indian government.
- Carried out three bomb blasts from December 6, 2002, to March 13, 2003.
- Arrested by Mumbai Police on April 10, 2003, and served 8 years in jail. Released on bail with a Rs 1 lakh bond.
- Rearrested on August 4, 2012, in the attempted murder case of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activist Manoj Raicha. Released in August 2014.
- Convicted in the blast case in March 2016. Spent less than 2 years as a convict.
- Freed in November 2017, 5 months earlier than his scheduled release, attributed to his “discipline” in jail.
- Ranked 3rd in the country for masterminding the maximum number of bombings.
- Allegedly fought alongside ‘Mujahideens’ during the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets.
- Accused of sending Indian Muslims to Pakistan for terror training.
- Served as the general secretary of the banned terror outfit SIMI.
- Affiliation with Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in his formative years.
- Visited Pakistan twice in 1990 to meet Salahuddin Sudani and Abdur-Rahim-Rasool Sayyef, discussing ways to train Muslim youths in arms, ammunition, and explosives.
- Part of Operation K2, an ISI plot to fuel the Khalistani separatist movement in India.
- Sent Sikh youths to Pakistan for military training until 1991.
- Accused in the murder of 2 Hindu lawyers and a Muslim, allegedly working against the ‘Muslim community.’
- Convicted in 1992 by a Gujarat court and later by the Supreme Court for terrorism.
Operational from Padgha-Borivali, the accused had allegedly planned to carry out acts of violence and spread terror across India. The NIA emphasised that the individuals were also plotting to wage war against the Indian government, pursuing a path of violent Jihad, Khilafat, and ISIS.
The morning raids covered locations in Padgha-Borivali, Thane, Mira Road, and Pune in Maharashtra, as well as Bengaluru in Karnataka. The arrests were made in connection with promoting terror and terror-related activities. The NIA seized substantial amounts of unaccounted cash, firearms, sharp-edged weapons, incriminating documents, smartphones, and other digital devices during the raids.
NIA Swoops Down on 44 Locations in M’Rashtra & K’Nataka, Arrests 15 ISIS Operatives of ISIS Maharashtra Module pic.twitter.com/bcvJBOIA3M
— NIA India (@NIA_India) December 9, 2023
Saqib Nachan, identified as the main accused, was actively involved in various terrorist activities, including the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), following the directives of foreign handlers.
The press release highlighted ISIS as a Global Terror Organisation (GTG), known by various names such as Islamic State (IS), Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), Daish, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), and ISIS Wilayat Khorasan. The outfit has been spreading its terror network in India through localised modules and cells across different states.
The NIA, in recent months, has undertaken extensive efforts to disrupt and dismantle ISIS activities in India, conducting large-scale raids and arresting several individuals involved in terrorist conspiracies. This latest crackdown is part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to thwart the organisation’s violent anti-India agenda. The case against the ISIS Maharashtra module was registered earlier this year, and the NIA continues to take decisive actions against ISIS modules operating in the country.
