Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 22: Security agencies have foiled a suspected terror plot allegedly backed by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with the arrest of eight individuals from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
According to officials, the arrested suspects are believed to have links with Bangladesh-based extremist groups and were allegedly receiving funding routed through ISI channels. Six of the accused have been identified as Mizanur Rahman, Mohammed Shabat, Umar, Mohammed Litan, Mohammed Shahid, and Mohammed Ujjal. Police said one of those detained is a Bangladeshi national.
The arrests were carried out at a garment factory in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu, as well as at locations in West Bengal. Authorities stated that the suspects had been concealing their identities and were working under forged documents, including fake Aadhaar cards. During the raids, investigators seized eight mobile phones and 16 SIM cards.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the group was allegedly involved in reconnaissance activities in multiple cities and was in the process of establishing local operational modules. Officials said the suspects used social media platforms to communicate and had posted content supporting Pakistan-based terror outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Sources in the security establishment said intelligence inputs had warned of efforts by ISI-backed networks to activate local modules to carry out attacks within India. One alert flagged a possible plot targeting areas near the Red Fort, while another referred to potential threats to temples in North India. Investigators are expected to question the accused about these inputs and identify locations where reconnaissance may have been conducted.
Officials also revealed that four of the accused had travelled to Delhi during an AI Summit, where they allegedly displayed posters advocating a “Free Kashmir” message before returning to their respective states.
Security agencies believe that the strategy of setting up local modules is aimed at reducing cross-border infiltration and providing plausible deniability in the event of attacks. Intelligence inputs in recent months have suggested attempts to orchestrate disruptive activities ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
The suspects arrested in Tamil Nadu are being handed over to the Delhi Police for further interrogation. Investigators are continuing to examine their alleged links with Bangladesh-based groups and their possible connections to ISI operatives, as part of a broader probe into cross-border terror networks.