ISIS crackdown: Operations controlled from Mumbai

New Delhi, Jan 23: The National Investigating Agency which cracked down on several alleged ISIS sympathisers yesterday has found during the investigation that the operation to strike in India was being remote controlled from Mumbai.

Although the highest number of arrests or detentions were made in Karnataka (6), the operation was being overseen by the Mumbai based Munabeer Mushtaq, a 34 year old software engineer.

Yesterday the

in furtherance of a December 2014 case had with the help of the Intelligence Bureau kept a watch on several persons alleged to be ISIS sympathisers. During the crack down yesterday, 5 persons were arrested while 9 others were taken in for questioning.

What has the NIA found so far?

The NIA has learnt that it was Mushtaq who was in charge of the operations. He was in touch with a man by the name Yusuf al-Hindi. The name Yusuf al-Hindi was a pseudo for Bhatkal resident Sultan Armar, the founder of the Ansar-ul-Tawhid which recruits Indians for the ISIS. However after the death of Sultan it is said to be used by his brother Shafi Armar who heads the outfit today.

The NIA says that they are probing the source of money that has been found in the bank of Mushtaq. NIA officials tell OneIndia that they had found Rs 20 lakh in his bank are trying to ascertain as to how the money came in and for what it was proposed to be used.

The NIA says that the money trail would be interesting. Mushtaq was out of job for nearly 2 years and hence we need to find out the trail of the money into his account.

The NIA says that they have learnt that it was Mushtaq who was controlling the show. Although no direct links have been ascertained between Mushtaq and the all the rest who have been arrested, the NIA says that they had the same cause.

NIA officials say that the plan was to carry out strikes in India. These persons were planning to either strike on Republic Day or target crowded areas in busy cities.

OneIndia News