Suicide vest, explosives recovered from home of suspected ISIS terrorist

New Delhi, Aug 23: A suicide vest, ball bearings, 7 cylindrical boxes, timer, 4 batteries, ISIS flag have been recovered from the IS terrorist's house in Uttar Pradesh who was nabbed by security forces in Delhi on Saturday.

The terrorist, identified as Mohammad Mustakim Khan, alias Abu Yusuf Khan, from Badhiyaa Bhaisaahi village in Uttar Pradesh''s Balrampur district was arrested from central Delhi''s Ridge Road area late on Friday night following a brief exchange of fire with police, according to officials.

One brown jacket containing three explosive packets and another blue check jacket containing four explosive packets were recovered from his house, a senior police officer said.

"Each explosive packet, removed from jackets, was wrapped with transparent tape which contains explosive and cardboard sheet pasted with ball bearings and electric wires were coming outside from it," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah said.

"One ISIS flag, one leather belt containing around three kilograms explosive, eight to nine kilogram explosive in four different polythenes, three cylindrical metal boxes containing explosive and electric wires wrapped with transparent tape and two cylindrical metal boxes in which ball bearings were pasted were recovered from his house," the DCP said.

Among other material recovered from his house were "one wooden broken box (for target practice), 30 ball bearings of different diameters, one packet containing 12 small boxes of ball bearings, three lithium batteries -- two of 4V and one of 9V, two cylindrical metal boxes, one-ampere meter yellow colour".

"Two iron blades, attached in parallel to each other, connected to electric wires from sides, one wire cutter, two mobile chargers, a table alarm watch attached with electric wires and one black colour tape were also recovered from his house," Kushwah said.

Security was stepped up in the national capital and in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh following the arrest.

He has planned to carry out a "lone wolf" strike at a heavy footfall area in the national capital.

Abu Yusuf was the owner of a cosmetic shop in Uttar Pradesh. He was radicalised online following which he got in touch with his handlers.

He was asked to carry out an attack, following which he was to go to Syria. He had already readied passports for his wife and four children. Following the attack, he and his family were to fly into Syria, the police have learnt. He was instructed by his emir to strike on August 15.

He was, however, unable to do so owing to heavy security. He had decided to put his plan on hold and strike at another time. However concrete intelligence led to nabbing, following which a major strike was averted.

Khan and his wife have four children, two sons and two daughters.

Khan has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was remanded to eight days in police custody and taken to different places in Uttar Pradesh, including Balrampur, for further investigation.