On August 22, 2024, a significant counter-terrorism operation in Bhivadi, Rajasthan, led to the arrest of six suspected terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda. The arrests were made by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in Chopanki, where the suspects were reportedly undergoing weapons training. Following their capture, the suspects were transported to Delhi; however, neither Bhivadi police nor Delhi police have yet provided further details about the case.
The operation was part of a broader crackdown involving coordinated raids by the ATS across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. This effort uncovered a module inspired by Al-Qaeda known as Al-Qaeda IS in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). To date, a total of 14 suspects from these three states have been apprehended.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Dr Ishtiyaq, based in Ranchi, was orchestrating this AQIS module, which was allegedly preparing for major terrorist operations across India. Members of this module received weapons training at various locations. The ATS’s intervention in Bhivadi followed intelligence about potential terrorist activities. The raid, conducted around noon on Wednesday in Chopanki’s industrial area, resulted in the arrest of all six suspects who were living together.
Inspector General Anil Kumar Tank from the Jaipur Range confirmed that the ATS, with assistance from Bhivadi police, detained the six individuals. The operation was led by Delhi Special Police, which took the suspects to Delhi. The arrested individuals, who were found with weapons, are not residents of Bhivadi.
AQIS was established in 2014 by former Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, with Asim Umar, a Pakistani national, as an initial member. The current leader of AQIS is Osama Mahmood, also from Pakistan. The group has approximately 200 fighters in the Indian subcontinent and 400 in Afghanistan. There are indications that AQIS is preparing to align with ISIS-Khorasan Province (ISIL-K). AQIS’s presence in India was first identified in 2015, following the arrest of three terrorists in Delhi, and further investigations led to the arrest of AQIS operative Maulana Abdul Rahman Kasmi.
The police have claimed that AQIS operates a training camp in the forests of Jharkhand. In July 2021, UP police arrested two terrorists from Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, another Al-Qaeda-linked group. Currently, AQIS is reported to have no base in India. Delhi police claimed on August 22 that they had dismantled an AQIS terrorist module after detaining 14 individuals from Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Dr. Ishtiyaq, the AQIS leader, was apprehended in Jharkhand and was preparing for terrorist attacks. Additionally, ATS arrested a suspected AQIS member named Faizan Ahmed from Lohsinghna in Hazaribagh. Faizan, who was identified as an active AQIS member, underwent medical testing before being presented in court and subsequently transferred to Ranchi.
In a related development from last year, Faizan alias Faiz, an ISIS terrorist from Lohardaga, was arrested for online activities aimed at spreading terror. He had connections with ISIS operatives and was involved in planning violent actions in India.
