Arrested ISIS terrorists wanted to attack Delhi on Diwali, reported to Syria-based handler: Report

The two youths arrested for their alleged ISIS links wanted to carry out a major terror attack in Delhi on Diwali, a news report claimed, citing investigators. Bhopal-native Abu Mohammad (20) and Delhi's Mohammad Adnan Khan, alias Abu Muharib (19), were reporting to a handler in Syria, they added.

 

The duo, who were radicalised online, were tasked to target one of the busy public parks or malls in India's capital city during the Diwali rush, a news report said. The duo were jointly running pro-ISIS Instagram pages and YouTube channels in the hope of meeting and recruiting more like-minded people, it added.

 

 

 

From keyboard warriors to group operatives 

 

However, their extremism entered a new sphere altogether after they found Abu Ibrahim Qureshi online. The Syria-based terrorist became their handler after they pledged their allegiance (Bay‘ah) to ISIS. Dressed in black and covering their heads with a shemagh scarf that is often associated with the fighters of the terror outfit, they made videos of themselves pledging allegiance to the Caliph and sent them to Qureshi, the report added.

 

Abu Mohammad and Adnan Khan reportedly met several times in Delhi to finalise their plans but law enforcement were vigilant and caught them before they could move to the execution part.

 

Abu Muharib's father was a driver for Doordarshan. He learned video editing online and stepped into the world of terror through social media and encrypted chat groups, Times Now said in a report. Abu Mohammad, meanwhile, the more radical and experienced of the two, was arrested last year by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for threatening an additional sessions judge linked to the Gyanvapi Mosque case on social media. Since 2020, he has been following ISIS propaganda all while planning to assist his father in accountancy by pursuing CA, the report added.

 

It was Abu Muharib who reportedly got caught first and during interrogation, spilled the beans on his accomplice from Bhopal. They became pals after Abu Mohammad started sharing jihadi propaganda with Muharib to make videos out of after being impressed by his video editing skills. However, the reports didn't explain how exactly the two youths communicated with the Syria-based terrorist.

India