New Delhi: Two alleged operatives of the Islamic State, also know as ISIS, were arrested Thursday as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided six locations in Karnataka in connection with a conspiracy hatched by the global terror group to further its activities across the country, an official said.
Reshaan Thajuddin Sheikh of Udupi district and Huzair Farhan Baig of Shivamogga district were arrested during searches which were conducted at six locations in Karnataka, a spokesperson of the federal anti-terror agency said. The official said the searches were conducted in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Bengaluru in connection with a case which was initially registered at the Shivamogga Rural Police station on September 19, last year and later re-registered by the NIA on November 15.
The spokesperson said the case relates to conspiracy hatched by the accused to further the terror activities of Islamic State (IS), a banned terrorist organization, and to endanger the unity, security and sovereignty of the country. "Investigation have revealed that the accused Maaz Muneer radicalized his close associate and collegemate Sheikh who along with Baig received funds from their ISIS handler through Crypto-wallets for furthering the terrorist activities of the Islamic State," the spokesperson said, adding "as part of their larger violent and disruptionist designs, they were also indulging in arson and targeting of vehicles and other establishments, such as liquor shops, godowns and transformers".
The official said digital devices and incriminating documents were seized from the houses of the accused and the suspects during the raids. Two other accused have been arrested in the case earlier, taking the number of those arrested in the case to four, the spokesperson said.
