Bhopal, The Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad has expanded its probe into a suspected inter-state radicalisation module with two more arrests from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, taking the total number of persons held in the case to three, a senior official said.
The first arrest in the case was made on Friday when the MP ATS apprehended Bhopal resident Mohd Faraz from the city's Qazi Camp area.
The ATS later arrested Nayeem Abdullah Qureshi from Nanauta in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district and Mohd Shakir from Alwar district in Rajasthan, bordering Haryana, the official said.
Qureshi was arrested on Friday night in a joint operation involving the MP Anti-Terrorism Squad, Uttar Pradesh ATS, UP Special Task Force and central intelligence agencies.
Shakir was taken into custody early Sunday by the MP ATS, said the official, requesting anonymity.
Sources said a fourth suspect was being tracked in another state, and an arrest could follow soon.
The arrested men were allegedly part of a closed online group handled by a Pakistan-based operative through encrypted messaging platforms.
The case came to light after central intelligence agencies shared inputs about online groups allegedly being used by overseas handlers to radicalise and recruit individuals, they added.
{{/usCountry}}The case came to light after central intelligence agencies shared inputs about online groups allegedly being used by overseas handlers to radicalise and recruit individuals, they added.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators claimed that Faraz, a graduate employed at a private homoeopathic clinic, had been in contact with members of the alleged network and was being influenced through online channels.
Faraz and Qureshi have been sent to ATS custody till June 16, while Shakir has been remanded till June 20, sources said.
According to investigators, Qureshi had allegedly introduced Faraz to the online group around two years ago. The two had studied together at a madrasa in Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, they said.
The agency has seized electronic devices and digital material, including extremist literature and videos allegedly shared through the online group, the investigators said.
A probe is underway to ascertain the nature and extent of the alleged network, its links and any possible plans discussed among its members, they added.
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