On Sunday, two terrorists were arrested from Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad. UP police said that the men were planning to carry out attack in various cities before Independence Day. Two of their associates escaped. Subsequently, the police launched a manhunt.
The arrest of three people in Lucknow on Sunday is the busting of third major terror module within a year in the country. The three were linked to terror group Al-Qaeda. In September 2020, the NIA (National Investigation Agency) arrested nine Al-Qaeda terrorists in West Bengal and Kerala. The agency said that the arrested terrorists were planning attacks in several places in the country, including National Capital Region (NCR).
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Last year, terror operatives were arrested from Ernakulam in Kerala and Murshidabad in West Bengal. The central agency said that their targets included Kochi naval base and shipyard.
The agency seized bomb-making materials and weapons from the men. NIA said that the three from Ernakulam & the six from Murshidabad were planning lone wolf attacks.
The investigators further said that these men were radicalised by Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media. The investigators further added that the radicalised terror operatives were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple locations in India.
In the latest Lucknow arrest too, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) recovered incriminating materials. The seized and incriminating materials included two semi-prepared IED-based pressure cooker bombs and explosive materials.
The names of the arrested operatives are Minhaz Ahmed (30) and Maseeruddin (50). They were living in Lucknow and were associated with Al Qaeda-linked Ansar Ghazwatul Hind. Ahmed’s father has been running a motor workshop in Lucknow’s Dubagga area.
They were in touch with their handler Umar Halmandi, the head of the Uttar Pradesh module of Al-Qaeda, as per Uttar Pradesh Police.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “They were planning to unleash terror activities before August 15 (Independence Day) in different cities of the state, including Lucknow.” ADGP Kumar further added that the men were planning explosions, including using human bombs.
On Sunday the Bihar Police issued an alert in all districts and railway stations after the arrest of two Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Lucknow.
PK Mishra is a former additional director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) and security affairs expert. He stated that Al-Qaeda’s sleeper cells are present in many parts of the country. Mishra said, “We will have to get their handlers to stop their funding and demolish the network.”
Two associates of Ahmed and Maseeruddin escaped just before the two were arrested on Sunday. The Uttar Pradesh ATS is currently looking for the escaped operatives.
