Gujarat ATS: 4 arrested Lankan ISIS terrorists plotted suicide attacks

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Monday arrested four Sri Lankan nationals suspected to be Islamic State (IS) operatives allegedly plotting to carry out terror attacks at the behest of a Pakistan-based handler.

The ATS also recovered three loaded pistols from Nana Chiloda in Gandhinagar based on revelations made by the four accused during their interrogation.

The four, detained from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport in Ahmedabad Sunday around 8 pm, were remanded in 14 days police custody by an Ahmedabad magistrate court Monday.

The four accused have been identified as Mohammad Nusrath (33), Mohammad Faris (35), Mohammad Nafran (27) and Mohammad Rasdeen (43). 

The arrests came a day ahead of Ahmedabad hosting the qualifier and eliminator rounds of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera on May 21 and May 22 respectively.

According to Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay, the accused revealed that they were acting on the directions of ‘Abu’, a Sri Lankan native who resides in Pakistan. They first came in touch in February. 

The accused continued to correspond with the suspected handler, an alleged ISIS leader, over Protonmail.

The accused were allegedly to pick up arms from Nana Chiloda after which they would be informed about the further course of action, Sahay added. “…the phones had certain photos and locations of Nana Chiloda in Gandhinagar. According to them, their Pakistani handler was going to keep arms there and photos where the arms are kept and location of it were shared. ATS officials went to the location overnight and items, including three pistols with a star sign on the pistol butt with the number and make erased, were found. Twenty cartridges were also found. All three pistols, with FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which is in Pakistan) written on the cartridges, were loaded.”

Seeking the custody of the accused, the police submitted before the magistrate that they are investigating if the accused were to be sheltered by anyone else in Ahmedabad or elsewhere, whether there are others involved in the conspiracy, the financial and logistical support the accused received or were going to receive and from whom. 

Efforts are also on to identify ‘Abu’ and the modes of radicalisation, the people who procured the weapons, and if similar weapons have been arranged elsewhere.