In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a pivotal ISIS terror conspirator, Arafath Ali, on Thursday upon his arrival at New Delhi Airport from Nairobi, Kenya. This marked a major stride in the NIA’s pursuit to dismantle foreign-based ISIS modules intending to orchestrate acts of terror on Indian soil.
Ali had been evading capture since 2020, amidst allegations of spearheading ISIS propaganda and plotting terrorist activities from abroad to foster the IS’s anti-India agenda. The suspect, a resident of Karnataka’s Shivamogga district, has been implicated in the identification, radicalization, and recruitment of susceptible Muslim youth into the ISIS network. The detainment is closely linked to the ongoing investigation of the Shivamogga terror conspiracy case. Ali reportedly maintained active communication with the accused individuals involved in the plot, facilitating both the planning and implementation phases of the terror blueprint.
A crucial incident tied to this case occurred when one of the accused, Mohamed Shariq, was transporting a pressure cooker IED to plant at the Kadri Manjunatha Temple in Mangaluru. The IED prematurely detonated in the auto rickshaw, drawing attention to the larger conspiracy at play.
NIA authorities have also attributed the 2020 Mangaluru graffiti cases to Ali, where incendiary messages invoking Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Taliban were scribed on walls, seemingly to incite violence and create a communal rift. The graffiti read: “DON’T FORCE US TO INVITE LASHKAR-E-TAIBA AND TALIBAN TO DEAL WITH SANGHIS AND MANVEDIS #LASHKAR ZINDABAD”. The operation was reportedly orchestrated with the involvement of two other individuals, Mohamed Shariq and Maaz Muneer Ahmed.
As the investigations forge ahead, the apprehension of Arafath Ali is perceived as a cardinal breakthrough in unveiling the expanse of the ISIS network and its operations in India, shedding light on the intricacies of their subversive strategies targeted against the nation. The ongoing probe continues to unravel the depths of this conspiracy as authorities work meticulously to ensure the safety and security of the nation against such terrorist threats.