2 ISIS terrorists entered Uttar Pradesh via Nepal; high alerts issued in several districts

Gorakhpur zone and other areas near the Indo-Nepal border have been put on high alert following the intelligence agencies warning.

New Delhi: In the latest developments, intelligence agencies sources have warned that at least five ISIS-trained terrorists have entered India through Nepal following which a high alert has been issued in Basti, Gorakhpur, Siddharthnagar, Kushinagar and Maharajganj among others district close to the border. As per the information, the terrorists are believed to be in Uttar Pradesh.

Confirming the report, Basti IG range Ashutosh Kumar said that they have received information that two terrorists have entered the country and are currently in Uttar Pradesh.

Intelligence agencies sources told Zee News that the two terrorists, identified as Khwaja Moinuddin and Abdul Samad were last seen in West Bengal's Siliguri. In September 2017, Khwaja Moinuddin was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Chennai. The sources added that Moinuddin is associated with ISIS and has been active in south Indian states.

The NIA investigation had then revealed that after returning from Syria, Moinuddin had been brainwashing the youths in south Indian states and recruiting them to ISIS. The agency had also claimed that he was in touch with top leaders of Pakistan-backed terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen.

According to the information, another terrorist Abdul Samad, who was active in south India, was arrested in February 2018. Samad is accused of providing Rs 3.50 lakh through hawala from a Gulf country to a Lashkar-e-Toiba linked terrorist, with links to Pune blast. He was also associated with banned Islamist organisation SIMI and was responsible for providing arms and ammunition for terror-related activities.