Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Jaipur, Nov 12 (IANS) After it was revealed that three ISIS-linked terrorists arrested by Gujarat ATS had traveled from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has sent a team to Gujarat.
Officials said investigation has found that the accused had received weapons through drones sent from Pakistan and were planning attacks at several locations across the country.
After discovering the Rajasthan link, the ATS team of Jaipur is interrogating the suspects in coordination with Gujarat Police. The investigation aims to uncover possible local operators, arms suppliers or sleeper cells operating within Rajasthan.
The Gujarat ATS identified the arrested men as Dr Ahmed Mohiuddin Syed (35) of Hyderabad, Azad Suleman Shaikh (20) of Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, and Mohammad Suhail alias Mohammad Salim Khan (23) of Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.
During interrogation, it was revealed that these three were working for the terrorist organization ISIS. Meanwhile, weapons and poisonous chemicals have also been seized from the accused. The ATS recovered two Glock pistols, a Beretta pistol, 30 cartridges and four liters of castor oil from the possession of Dr Syed, which is believed to be used to prepare the deadly poison ricin. Sources said Syed had started experimenting with the chemical and was in constant touch with handlers in Pakistan.
Officials said three terrorists from two different ISIS modules met in Uttar Pradesh and reached Adalaj in Ahmedabad via Hanumangarh with smuggled weapons. Their plan was to carry out attacks at several high-profile locations across India.
Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi said that the accused were in contact with Pakistani handler Abdul Khadija, associated with ISIS’s ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province).
The court has sent all three to ATS custody till November 17 for further questioning.
Meanwhile, a team of Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has been sent to Gujarat to interrogate the accused arrested by Gujarat ATS. The team will investigate the route used by the suspects to transport weapons allegedly dropped from Pakistan, as well as identify their local facilitators within Rajasthan.
The investigators are also probing whether any local networks or middlemen are involved in the supply of arms and other materials from Rajasthan to Gujarat. Although Hanumangarh district does not have a direct international border with Pakistan, incidents of drug and arms smuggling have been frequently reported from neighboring Sriganganagar district.
The effectiveness of Rajasthan ATS and intelligence agencies is under scrutiny after revelations that terrorists managed to drop arms consignments from Pakistan through drones in Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar without the state’s security agencies detecting the activity.
This network came to light only after Gujarat ATS started its operation and made arrests.
According to sources, this is not the first time that Pakistani drones have intruded into the airspace of Rajasthan. Earlier, incidents of drug dropping have come to light in Sriganganagar and Barmer districts.
However, the confirmed use of drones to deliver weapons marks a new and dangerous development, raising serious concerns about border surveillance and intelligence coordination in the region.
–IANS
arc/dpb