Arrested ISIS operative had planned terror strike on August 15, was in direct touch with his handlers: Delhi Police

New Delhi: A suspected ISIS operative, who was arrested following a brief exchange of fire, had planned terror strikes in high footfall areas of the national capital, Delhi Police disclosed said on Saturday (August 22, 2020).

Addressing a press briefing, PS Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell), Delhi Police, said, “Two pressure cooker IEDs were recovered from Mohammad Mustakeem Khan, alias Abu Yusuf, a resident of Balarampur in Uttar Pradesh.”

“Khan had planned a terror strike in the national capital on August 15 but could not do so due to heavy security arrangements,” DCP Kushwah said.

Sharing more information, he said, “The Special Cell has arrested the ISIS operative after a brief exchange of fire late night. The 36-year-old man is called Yusuf aka Abu Yusuf. He has various alias. Pressure cooker IEDs have been recovered from him. He was going to install them at heavy footfall area here.’’

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his movement was restricted. Around 15th August, he had an intention to make an attempt (of attack) in Delhi but due to security arrangements here he was not successful,” the DCP Special Cell said.

He said Khan was in touch with ISIS handlers who instructed him to plan terror strikes in India.

Mustakeem Khan, alias Abu Yusuf, was in direct touch with his ISIS commanders. He had passports made in the name of his wife and 4 children. Earlier, he was being handled by Yusuf Alhindi who was killed in Syria. Later, Abu Huzafa, a Pakistani, was handling him. Huzafa was also later killed in drone strike in Afghanistan, the DCP Special Cell told reporters.

''Abu Yusuf had plans to go for hijrat in Khurasan, Afghanistan along with his family. He even got passports prepared for his wife & 4 children on instructions of Abu Huzafa al Bakistani but this plan was shelved after the latter's killing,'' the DCP said.

The suspected ISIS operative was arrested by Delhi Police's Special Cell on Friday night from the section of the Ridge Road between Dhaula Kuan and Karol Bagh. The police recovered two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), weighing approximately 15 kilograms in two pressure cookers, from his possession. Besides, a pistol was also recovered from him post-firing.

Khan had been under watch for the last year, the DCP told reporters. “Our operation had been on for the last one year,” Kushwaha said.

He was remanded to seven-day police custody. According to reports, Special Cell officers are taking him to Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, for further investigation.