Shahnawaz Alam (L) and Saquib Nachan (R)
In a groundbreaking report, the Free Press Journal has laid bare the intricate web linking various ISIS modules across Indian cities, exposing a clandestine network that spans the entire country.
The investigation highlights that Shahnawaz Alam, apprehended in the Pune ISIS module case in October, shares ties with Saquib Nachan, the mastermind behind the Maharashtra ISIS module, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on December 9th. Notably, Saquib’s son, Shamil Nachan, had also been arrested in connection with the Pune ISIS module in August, preceding Shahnawaz’s capture.
The report discloses that Shahnawaz managed to escape Pune Police custody in July this year. According to a confidential National Investigation Agency (NIA) report, the ISIS module in Maharashtra was dismantled in July, resulting in the arrest of mastermind Imran Khan and others.
Upon escaping, Shahnawaz was directed to ISI Akka (leader) and fugitive terrorist Ghori by his ISIS handler. Teaming up with ISIS terrorist Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf, Shahnawaz relocated to New Delhi, facilitated by an unidentified local contact. It was later revealed that Mohammad Arshad Warsi, a member of the Pune ISIS module with ties to the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, sheltered Shahnawaz in the capital. Information from Warsi’s interrogation led to Shahnawaz’s subsequent arrest by the Delhi Police.
The trio, Shahnawaz, Rizwan, and Arshad, were apprehended by the Delhi Police in October, just before executing a terror operation in Delhi/NCR. Investigations unveiled a local contact in Delhi, orchestrating logistical support, weapon procurement, and funding for their mission. The contact, however, remains at large.
This contact is suspected to be the same individual who traveled from Delhi to Padgha, near Thane, to meet Saquib Nachan, following instructions from the ISIS handler. The meeting aimed to discuss plans for an ISIS terror operation allegedly orchestrated by Saquib.
Additionally, the report exposes a nexus between ISIS, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and fugitive terrorist Farahtullah Ghori. Shahnawaz and Rizwan allegedly collaborated with a foreign-based ISIS handler, working in tandem with ISI and Ghori to conduct terror activities in the national capital region.
Probe agencies suggest that ISI and other terror organisations may be currently orchestrating activities in India, with foreign-based handlers potentially being Pakistan-based ISI agents or terrorists.
Farahtullah Ghori, a prominent figure in Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist groups, also leads the terrorist organisation Hizb-Ut-Tahrir (HUT). Operating through a dark web chat group, Ghori has been evading authorities and reappeared in 2022 with audio-visual messages on various social media platforms, raising concerns for Indian security agencies.
The report underscores the urgency of addressing these interlinked terror networks, raising questions about national security and the need for coordinated efforts to counteract the growing threat.
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