Thanks to proactive measures and highly timely intelligence, an Al-Qaeda suicide attack has been averted. On July 12, the UP ATS busted an Al-Qaeda module and nabbed two. The accused were planning to carry an attack before the Indian Independence Day and were planning to use ‘human bombs’ in the attack.

Contents hide
1. Details
2. Terrorists Were to Launch Attack Before August 15
3. Memorials, crowded places were targets of human bombs
4. IED, Pistol, Explosives Recovered
5. Accused’s Father Had Motor Workshop
6. Accused Will Appear Before Court

Details

2 militants of the Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, an Al-Qaeda supported outfit, were nabbed in Lucknow. According to reports, the two terrorists were planning explosions and were also planning to use “human bombs” at multiple locations in the Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read: Secret IAF Aircraft Evacuates 50 Diplomats from Kandahar; What’s happening in Afghanistan?

Terrorists Were to Launch Attack Before August 15

On July 11, Additional Director General of Police, Prashant Kumar told the reporters that two militants were arrested. Along with them, the Anti-Terrorist Squad also seized explosives from their houses. As per Kumar, the terrorists were planning to

“unleash terror activities before August 15 (Independence Day) in different cities of the state”,

including Lucknow, its capital, where they were arrested.

Prashant Kumar was quoted by reporters saying-

“The ATS has arrested two active members belonging to Al-Qaeda-supported ‘Ansar Ghazwatul Hind’. Minhaz Ahmed, a resident of Lucknow’s Dubagga area, and Maseeruddin, a resident of Lucknow’s Madiaon area, have been arrested. Explosive material has been recovered from them.”

Also Read: Tourism can Wait, Government is Complacent: IMA to Centre Amid 3rd Wave Concerns

Memorials, crowded places were targets of human bombs

“They were planning explosions at important places, memorials and crowded places, and also to use human bombs. For this, they were collecting weapons and explosives,”

Kumar further added. According to Kumar, the members of the Al-Qaeda supported module are from Lucknow and Kanpur, both in Uttar Pradesh. The ADGP also claimed that the ATS squad is conducting raids at multiple locations to nab down all the accomplices of the terrorists that have been arrested.

The DGAP also added that during the interrogations, terrorists claimed that their accomplices ran away from their houses and that the ATS teams have already carried forward an “intensive checking”. He also added that the case is now registered at the Anti-Terrorist Squad station.

Also Read: Secret IAF Aircraft Evacuates 50 Diplomats from Kandahar; What’s happening in Afghanistan?

IED, Pistol, Explosives Recovered

According to the DGAP, an IED (improvised explosive device) was found at Minhaz’s home along with a pistol and explosives. Further, huge amount of explosive was also found at Maseeruddin’s home. According to an Indian Express report, the DGAP claimed that the IED was being defused by the bomb squad.

The official said that an improvised explosive device (IED) was found at Ahmed’s house along with a huge amount of explosive and a pistol. Meanwhile, the ATS raided 50-year-old Maseeruddin’s place in Jaunpur district and found a huge amount of explosive along with a cooker set that is used to create a crude bomb.

Also Read: India to Acquire 10 Made in India Anti-Drone Systems in Answer to Kashmir Blasts

Accused’s Father Had Motor Workshop

While not much is revealed about the accused yet, Minhaz’s father has his own motor workshop where he and the family have been living together since the past 15 years. Materials such as 2 IED-based pressure cooker bombs, explosives, pistol have been recovered by the ATS and the house where the arrests were made are now sealed.

Accused Will Appear Before Court

An NDTV reported DGAP saying-

“The terror activities were being run from Peshawar and Quetta on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border by an Al Qaeda member called Umar Halmandi.”

The two accused – Minhaz Ahmed and Maseeruddin – are now slated to appear before the court and will be accordingly taken into the police custody.