The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two absconders, identified as members of a sleeper module of the banned ISIS terror organisation. The arrested ISI Sleeper cell involved in a 2023 case related to fabrication and testing of IEDs in Pune, Maharashtra.
The arrested two man identified as Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh @ Diaperwala and Talha Khan. They were arrested by the Bureau of Immigration at the Mumbai International Airport T2 when they tried to return to India from Jakarta, Indonesia. The NIA team took theme into custody and arrested them. The two accused was on run for two years where they had been hiding out and also had non-bailable warrants issued against them by the NIA Special Court, Mumbai.
NIA had also declared reward of ₹3 lakh each for information leading to their arrest.
“The case registered as RC-05/2023/NIA/MUM relates to a criminal conspiracy by the arrested men, along with eight other ISIS Pune sleeper module members already arrested and in judicial custody. They had conspired to commit terrorist acts with the aim to disturb India’s peace and communal harmony by waging a war against the Government of India in furtherance of the ISIS agenda to establish Islamic rule in the country through violence and terror.” NIA stated in press release.
Other eight ISI Sleeper Members arrested by NIA
Shaikh and Khan had previously charge sheeted along with eight other arrested members currently in judicial custody. The NIA investigation revealed that the arrested men involved in assembling IEDs at a rented residence by Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh in Kondhwa, Pune. During the 2022-2023 period, the duo also facilitated and participated in a bomb-making and training session, including conducting a controlled explosion to test the IED fabricated by them, at these premises.
The NIA continues its investigation into the broader network of ISIS activities in India, aiming to dismantle sleeper modules and thwart potential terror threats.
They also arrested 10 accused in the case under various sections of UA (P) Act, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and IPC. Besides Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh and Talha Khan, the other arrested in the case, identified as Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan and Shahnawaz Alam.
