Maharashtra: 9 People, Including a 17-Year-Old, Arrested for Alleged Links With Islamic State

The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Wednesday arrested nine men including a 17-year-old teenager for their alleged links with banned terror outfit ISIS.

The ATS, which was keeping a close watch on the nine suspects, carried out search operations following a tip-off. Raids were conducted at five places including Mumbra, Thane and Aurangabad.

All of them are allegedly linked to the ISIS terror group, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) has alleged. The Maharashtra ATS was investigating the presence of sleeper cells ahead of Republic Day.

The nine terror suspects, all part of a group, were nabbed by ATS teams over the last two days.

Some reports said that these nine men also believed to have links with Kerala-based outfit Popular Front of India.

Two men between 20 and 25 years have been held at Kaiser Colony in Aurangabad. A 35-year-old was arrested from Damadi Mahal in Aurangabad and another 25-year-old was picked up from Rahat Colony, also in Aurangabad. A fifth person was arrested from Amrutnagar in Mumbra. Four others, in their 20s, were also arrested from Mumbra. The teenager was held from Thane.

Chemicals, explosives, mobile phones, hard drives, SIM cards, acid bottle, and sharp knives have been found during the raids.

The investigators have not revealed the names of the nine arrested but have given their age and the locations from where they have been arrested.

On December 26, the agency conducted raids after carrying out searches in 17 locations, wherein it claimed to have seized a huge cache of arms and explosives. The recovered items included 25 kg explosive material, 150 rounds of live ammunition, 12 pistols, 112 alarm clocks, mobile phone circuits, remote control car triggering switch, electric wires, 91 mobile phones, three laptops, knife, 134 SIM cards, and Rs 7.5 lakh as cash.