In a successful joint operation conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Anti Terror Squad (ATS) of Madhya Pradesh Police, an ISIS-linked terror module was busted in Jabalpur. The operation resulted in the arrest of three individuals on May 26 and 27. The arrested individuals, namely Syed Mamoor Ali, Mohammad Adil Khan, and Mohammad Shahid, were apprehended during overnight raids at 13 different locations in Jabalpur. The NIA, acting on intelligence inputs, had registered a case on May 24 regarding the alleged pro-ISIS activities of Mohammad Adil Khan, who had been under investigation since August of the previous year. The arrests were made in connection with disseminating ISIS propaganda through social media platforms and organizing on-ground ‘Dawah’ programs to recruit and radicalize individuals.
During the raids, the NIA seized various incriminating items, including sharp-edged weapons, ammunition (including prohibited bore), digital devices, and documents. The investigation revealed that the arrested trio was highly radicalized and actively involved in collecting funds, recruiting and motivating youth, disseminating propaganda, and attempting to procure arms and ammunition for the purpose of carrying out terrorist acts. Syed Mamoor Ali, in particular, had formed a local group named ‘Fisbilillah’ and operated a WhatsApp group by the same name. He was in contact with an illegal arms supplier in Jabalpur, attempting to procure pistols.
Mohammad Adil Khan, a devoted ISIS follower, had assembled a group of like-minded individuals in Jabalpur and was running multiple social media channels for recruiting and motivating youth. Mohammad Shahid, another member of the module, had plans to acquire various weapons, including pistols, IEDs, and grenades, to carry out violent attacks in India. The NIA emphasized that the module had been actively involved in planning and conspiring to unleash violent terror attacks in the country. Their activities included conducting meetings and spreading terror-related ideologies in local mosques and houses. The arrested individuals will be produced before the NIA special court in Bhopal to face legal proceedings.