The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said on Sunday that they have apprehended three individuals, including a medical doctor, allegedly involved in organising a major terrorist attack using weapons and chemical agents.
The accused, one of whom hails from Telangana and two from Uttar Pradesh, were reportedly in Gujarat to exchange arms and had conspired to carry out acts of terrorism involving the highly potent poison, ricin, according to Sunil Joshi, DIG of the Gujarat ATS.
The men in custody have also disclosed that their handler posts the arms consignments via a drone across the border from Pakistan, he added.
Acting on a tip-off, an ATS team arrested Dr. Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, a resident of Hyderabad, Telangana, on 7 November. He was detained near Adalaj in Gandhinagar and found to be in possession of two Glock pistols, a Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil, Joshi informed reporters.
During interrogation, Saiyed revealed he was plotting terrorist activities and had collected the weapons from an isolated spot in Kalol, Gandhinagar district.
Afghanistan & Pakistan Based Networks
The official stated that Saiyed’s handler, Abu Khadija, is a resident of Afghanistan and is affiliated with the ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province). Khadija has also been in contact with numerous people in Pakistan.
Joshi described Saiyed as highly educated and radicalised, and said he had planned to raise funds and recruit personnel as part of a scheme to launch major terrorist operations.
“To execute a major terrorist attack, Saiyed, who earned his MBBS degree in China, has been preparing a highly lethal poison named ‘ricin’. He had already started necessary research, procured equipment and raw materials, and initiated the initial chemical processing,” Joshi said.
Based on information retrieved from Saiyed’s mobile phone, the ATS team also arrested the individuals who had supplied the weapons.
The other two defendants, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, both hailing from Uttar Pradesh, were detained in Banaskantha district, the official said.
The pair had allegedly sourced the arms from Hanumangadh in Rajasthan before delivering them to Saiyed, Joshi said. He confirmed that the trio have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and the Arms Act. Saiyed has been remanded in ATS custody until 17 November, while the other two will be brought before a magistrates’ court on Sunday.
“The preliminary probe has revealed that the accused had recced several sensitive locations in Lucknow, Delhi and Ahmedabad. When questioned about the source of weapons, they disclosed their handler sends the arms consignment via drone across the Pakistan border,” he said.
The ATS is currently investigating whether the men are linked to ISKP, and the enquiry is being extended to other states across the country.
