Nabbed just in time: ISIS module inspired by Zakir Naik’s speeches planned Mumbai Mayhem

Mumbai, July 27: A group of persons who were inspired by the Islamic State had decided to create mayhem in Mumbai.

These persons from Mumbra were running a module called the Ummat-E-Mohammaddiya and were devising a sinister plan to undertake mass killings in Mumbai.

Apart from adding poison to the prasad at a temple, they also planned on poisoning the water sources. Their interrogation by the Maharashtra ATS revealed that they were in the process of undertaking the lethal plan when they were caught.

ATS sources say that had the plan gone through, it would have caused mayhem. The officer also said that had they managed to mix the poison in the prasad at the Mumbreshwar Mahadev temple in Mumbra, then it would have been consumed by nearly 40,000 devotees. They had planned to undertake this plan during the Bhagwath Katha at the temple that was held in December last year.

Investigations also found that members of an Islamic State module, who were inspired by the speeches of controversial Islamic preacher, Zakir Naik had planned mass killing of Hindus at a temple.

The chargesheet filed by the Anti-Terrorism squad said that the members of the ISIS arrested in January had tried to poison the maha prasad at the temple. Further these members had undergone training to make explosives. They had also taken part in blast trials at Mumbra, Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra ATS arrested 10 members of the Ummat-E-Mohammaddiya group, which allegedly has links with the terror group IS, from Mumbra and Aurangabad in January. Thus, foiling their plans of mass-casualty attacks using poisonous chemical mixtures at large gatherings.

After a detailed investigation, the ATS filed a charge sheet, containing stunning revelations, before a Mumbai court earlier this month.

According to the charge sheet, "the accused were inspired by speeches of Naik," against whom charges of money laundering have been filed by the Enforcement Directorate.

The ATS found several videos featuring Naik and his images on social media profiles of the accused, it said. "The group had planned a mass killing of devotees at the 400-year-old Shree Mumbreshwar Temple at Mumbra by poisoning the maha prasad there," a senior ATS official said, quoting the charge sheet.

A spiritual event, Shreemadh Bhagwat Katha, was organised in December last year at the temple, where thousands of devotees consumed the 'prasad', he said.

One of the arrested accused, Talha Potrik, had tried to poison the prasad, the charge sheet says.

"The group members had also obtained information through the internet and social media about making explosives and poison and conducted blast trials in hills near the Mumbra bypass," the ATS official said.

The ATS identified Abu Hamza as the group leader, who conducted the blast trials, he said.