ISIS module: NIA conducts follow up searches at 5 locations in Amroha

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out searches at 5 locations in Amroha. The searches come a week after the NIA busted an ISIS-inspired terror module in the area and arrested 10 persons.

The follow up searches are being conducted on the basis of the information provided by the 10 arrested men.

The UP ATS is also assisting the NIA team in the searches. Earlier, the NIA had carried out searches in Seelampur area of Delhi on December 30.

IG NIA Alok Mittal confirmed that the agency was conducting follow up searches at five locations in Amroha. He also said that there had been no further arrests in the case so far.

On December 26, the NIA had carried out raids in 17 places on the basis of information that of a new terror module being active in the area. Among the places raided were Seelampur in Delhi and Amroha, Hapur and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. In the joint operation carried out by the NIA, the Delhi Police and the UP ATS, 16 men had been detained. Of the 16 men, 10 had been placed under arrest. An engineering student was among those who had been arrested.

During the raids, the police had seized nearly 25 kilos of raw material used to make bombs. Cash worth nearly Rs 7.5 lakh had also been seized during the raids.

At that time, IG NIA Alok Mittal said that the arrested men were planning to carry out a string of terror attacks possibly as early as new year targeting politicians, key locations and crowded places.

Mittal said that the men weren’t just making some bombs, but a large number of bombs. During the raids, the agency had seized 134 mobile phones SIM cards, nearly 20 mobiles, 112 alarm clocks and 25 kg of chemicals. They had also recovered a rocket launcher and 13 pistols.

The group had come to the notice of the federal investigation agency three to four months ago.