IS terror module busted by NIA may have been planning attack on Ayodhya

Sources say that WhatsApp chats recovered from phones of the suspects point towards plans of a big attack at Ram Janmabhoomi.

IANS Photo

New Delhi: The Islamic State terror module busted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday may have had plans of attacking the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.

According to sources, phones seized from suspects arrested during raids in Uttar Pradesh's Jafarabad have revealed controversial chats detailing plans of attacking the Ram Janmabhoomi. It is reported that the WhatsApp chats have revealed that members of Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam were planning to carry out a fidayeen attack on November 29.

The NIA had said in a press conference on Tuesday that the terror group was building a network which had the objectives of radicalising people and carrying out a series of attacks across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. 'We conducted searches at 17 locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in connection with a new ISIS module styled as 'Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam' which was in an advanced stage of carrying out a series of blasts,'' NIA IG Alok Mittal had said. "Their targets were political persons and other important personalities and vital and security installations."

The terror module was under NIA surveillance for some time following inputs of their suspicious activities. A number of suspect items have been recovered from the locations that were raided. These include ammonium nitrate, pistols, grenade launchers and jihadi manuscripts.