Four suspected ISIS terrorists who were arrested at Ahmedabad airport told the investigators that their Pakistan-based handler was going to give them the exact location and time to carry out the attack after collecting the weapons dropped for them in the city, an official said on Tuesday (May 21). The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested four Sri Lankan nationals from Ahmedabad airport on Sunday night after their landing to execute terrorist activities at the behest of the Islamic State.
The ATS had also recovered three pistols and cartridges abandoned at a location in Ahmedabad on the basis of geo coordinates found on a mobile phone seized from their possession.
What did the Gujarat ATS say?
"So far during the interrogation, they have refused to reveal as to where exactly they were planning to carry out the terrorist attack," Superintendent of Police (SP), ATS, Sunil Joshi said.
“All they have said so far is that their handler was going to inform them about the exact location and time of the target after they collected the weapons," he added.
The terrorists were sent into a 14-day police remand and were being probed by the ATS officials regarding their plans. The probe agency was also questioning them to find out about the persons who were supposed to help them in India in meeting their objectives, Joshi said.
"Forensic extraction of data of their phone devices is underway. Details are being sought from the communication applications found on their mobile phones, through which they stayed in touch with their Pakistani handler," he added.
The mobile phones of the terrorists were also being technically analysed and efforts were being made to ascertain if there were others who would have helped them execute their plans, he said.
Police of other states also join probe: ATS
Joshi said that since the accused persons are from another country and arrived in Ahmedabad via Tamil Nadu, police of other states and central investigation and intelligence agencies have also joined the probe.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Nusrat (35), Mohammad Faarukh (35), Mohammad Nafran (27) and Mohammad Rasdeen (43), had taken a flight from Colombo and reached Chennai on Sunday morning and took another flight to Ahmedabad, where they landed around 8 pm that day.
The terrorists were booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act.
Harsh Sanghavi reacts to arrest
Gujarat Minister of State Home, Harsh Sanghavi lauded the arrest of the terrorists.
"Whether the fight is against drug mafias or terrorism, the Gujarat police are delivering a strong response. The Gujarat Police & ATS team is continually committed to defending Gujarat and the nation with vigilance and bravery. Their recent detention of four Islamic State terrorists from Sri Lanka is commendable. Congratulations to the entire team," he posted on X.
(With PTI inputs)
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