Red Fort, Temple targets on radar: ISI-backed module busted in TN, Bengal

Security agencies arrested eight suspects from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, uncovering an alleged ISI-backed terror plot linked to Bangladesh-based groups. Investigators suspect plans targeting Delhi and northern temples, with possible Lashkar-e-Taiba involvement. The accused will be questioned further

 New Delhi: The security agencies have busted a major ISI-backed terror plot, following the arrest of eight persons from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The arrested persons are linked to Bangladesh based terror groups and were being funded by the ISI, the security agencies have learnt.

The arrested persons have been identified as Mizanur Rahman, Mohammed Shabat, Umar, Mohammed Litan, Mohammed Shahid, and Mohammed Ujjal. The arrests were made from a garment factory in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

---

Among the arrested persons, one is a Bangladeshi national, the police said. The suspects who were arrested by the Tamil Nadu are being handed over to the Delhi Police for further investigation.

The preliminary probe showed that these persons were plotting attacks in various parts of India. The arrests come in the backdrop of the Intelligence agencies warning that the ISI backed Lashkar-e-Taiba is in the process of setting local modules in the country to carry out a series of attacks.

Another alert said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba were plotting an attack near the Red Fort.

Following the arrest, the police recovered mobile phones and SIM cards. The accused persons had been posting content on the social media in support of Pakistan based terror groups. All the persons arrested had concealed their identity and were working at a garment factory. They used fake Aadhaar cards, the police said.

During the raids, the police recovered eight mobile phones and 16 SIM cards. In a bid to help set up the local modules for the ISI backed groups, these people were actively carrying out reconnaissance activities in various cities.

During the AI Summit, four of the accused had travelled to Delhi and put up poster advocating for a Free Kashmir. Following this they returned to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the police said. The police said that the accused persons communicated via social media.

The Delhi police are set to grill them about their links to Bangladeshi based terror groups and also their connection with the ISI. Since the last couple of months, the ISI has been plotting attacks in India. This is part of the ISI’s strategy to set up local modules so that the foreign hand can be avoided. The Pakistani terrorists stationed at the launch pads across the India-Pakistan border have been finding it hard to infiltrate.

The ISI feels that to overcome this, it would be better to set up local modules within India. Further Pakistan can also have the deniability factor if blasts are carried out within India with the help of locals, an official said.

Another alert by the Intelligence agencies speaks about a plot to target Temples in North India. The Delhi Police would question these accused persons about this plot. The key information that the police will try to source is which are the places that they have carried out reconnaissance.

The plot to target temples has been on the anvil for several month now. The aim is to carry out attacks on Temples and then incite communal tensions, another official said. This plot is being overseen by the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The terror group has been scouting for recruits and has even activated some of its moles in the country to carry out this activity. Further the plot was bust at a time when the agencies have been warning that a conspiracy is being hatched in Bangladesh to carry out terror attacks ahead of the West Bengal elections.