Two terrorists were arrested Sunday in Lucknow by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad. Police said the men were planning to carry out attacks in various towns before Independence Day. Two of their associates escaped after which the police launched a manhunt.
The arrest of three people linked to the Al-Qaeda terrorist group in Lucknow on Sunday is the shutdown of the third major terrorist module in a year in the country. In September last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested nine Al Qaeda terrorists in West Bengal and Kerala. The agency said the terrorists were planning attacks in several locations across the country, including the National Capital Region (NCR).
The terrorists were arrested in Ernakulam in Kerala and Murshidabad in West Bengal. The NIA said their targets included the Kochi Naval Base and Shipyard.
The agency seized weapons and bomb-making equipment from the men. The six from Murshidabad and three from Ernakulam were planning lone-wolf attacks, the NIA said.
Investigators further said the men had been radicalized by Al Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks in several locations in India.
Also during Lucknow’s arrest, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) recovered incriminated material, including two semi-prepared IED-based bombs and explosive materials.
The arrested members – Minhaz Ahmed (30) and Maseeruddin (50) – lived in Lucknow and were associated with Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, linked to Al Qaeda. In fact, Ahmed’s father runs an engine shop in the Dubagga area of Lucknow.
These men were in contact with their master Umar Halmandi, the head of Al-Qaeda’s Uttar Pradesh module, according to Uttar Pradesh police. “They planned to unleash terrorist activities before August 15 (Independence Day) in various towns across the state, including Lucknow,” said Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar. The men were preparing explosions, including using human bombs, Kumar added.
Bihar Police on Sunday launched an alert in all districts and train stations after the arrest of two terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda in Lucknow.
PK Mishra, former additional director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) and expert in security affairs, told the sister publication of the Hindustan Times Live Hindustan that al Qaeda sleeper cells are present in many areas. from the country. “We will have to get their managers to stop their funding and tear down the network,” Mishra said.
The Uttar Pradesh ATS, meanwhile, is looking for two associates of Ahmed and Maseeruddin, who escaped just before the two were arrested on Sunday.
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