From engineering student to welders: Who formed ISIS-inspired group busted by NIA

The National Investigation Agency on December 26 arrested 10 suspected members of a newly set up ISIS-inspired terror outfit here that was allegedly planning to carry out series of suicide attacks in Delhi and north India targeting important political personalities, vital installations and crowded places.

The group comprises youths in the 20-35 age group with moderate education (barring two), hailing from middle income group families and radicalised by an Amroha-based Mufti, who is also the alleged mastermind and founder of 'Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam', which can be loosely translated as 'war for the cause of Islam', the NIA has alleged.

Following are their brief profiles and roles as alleged by the NIA:

1. Mufti Mohammed Suhail alias Hazrath (29): The alleged founder of the group is a native of Amroha in West Uttar Pradesh where he works as a Mufti in a madrasa at Hakim Mahtab Uddin Hashmi Road. Presently residing in Jafrabad in North East Delhi, he allegedly founded the group three-four months back and indoctrinated its members using on-line resources linked to the ISIS. A video has been seized by the agency where Suhail can be heard telling how to assemble bomb using a circuit.

It is alleged that he had tasked other team members to procure arms, explosives and other accessories to prepare remote-controlled bombs and pipe-bombs.

2. Anas Yunus (24): A resident of Jafrabad. He is a student of Civil Engineering at a private university in Noida. He procured electrical items, alarm clocks and batteries etc to be used in assembling bombs in furtherance of their terror conspiracy.

3. Rashid Zafar Raq alias Zafar (23): Also a resident of Jafrabad. He is into garments business and was part of the group.

4. Saeed alias Sayeed (28): A resident of Saidapur Imma, Amroha, runs welding shop in Amroha where some pistols and rocket launcher were fabricated.

5. Saeed's brother Raees Ahmad: A resident of Saidapur Imma, Amroha, UP. He owns a welding shop at Islam Nagar, Near Idgah, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. The brothers had allegedly procured 25 kilogram of explosive material and gun powder for preparing IEDs and pipe bombs and were instrumental in fabricating a rocket launcher to carry out terrorist attacks.

6. Zubair Malik (20): A resident of Jafrabad. He is a student of BA 3rd year at a University in Delhi.

7. Zubair's brother Zaid (22): A resident of Jafrabad. Both the brothers were part of the terror conspiracy and were instrumental in procuring batteries, connectors, SIM cards (135 recovered during searches) on fake documents and mobilising funds for buying bomb-making material. Both allegedly stole family gold to arrange for money.

8. Saqib Iftekar (26): A resident of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh. He works as an Imam in Jama Masjid, Baksar, Uttar Pradesh and helped Mohammed Suhail in procuring weapons. The agency has recovered 12 pistols, 150 rounds of live ammunition, knives and swords during searches.

9. Mohammed Irshad (in late 20s): A resident of Mohalla Qazi Zada, Amroha. An auto-rickshaw driver who was helping Mohammed Suhail in arranging a hideout for keeping the material for making IEDs and bombs. The agency has recovered 25 kg of explosive material, such as Potassium Nitrate, Ammonium Nitrate, Sulphur, Sugar material paste, 112 alarm clocks, mobile phone circuits, batteries, 51 pipes, remote control toys, wireless digital doorbell, steel containers, electric wires.

10. Mohammed Azam (35): A resident of Chauhan Bajar, Delhi. He runs a medical shop in Seelampur, Shahdara, Delhi and helped Mohammed Suhail arrange weapons.