Suspected IS terrorist an engineer, held terror camps across India: Delhi Police

The suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorist Mohammad Shahnawaz alias Shafi Ujjama.

Who was arrested along with two others, is an engineer and held terror camps across the country, Delhi Police said on Monday. One of NIA’s most wanted terrorists, Shahnawaz, was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell in the national capital on Monday morning.

The other two terrorists who were arrested have been identified as Rizwan and Arshad.

According to officials, Shahnawaz, who is alleged to have links with an IS module, escaped from the custody of the Pune Police and was living in Delhi.

“A mining engineer by profession, Shahnawaz, was arrested from an area in southeast Delhi,” Delhi Police said while addressing a press conference. Meanwhile, Rizwan Ashraf was arrested in Lucknow and Arshad in Muradabad.

“Special Cell for a long time has been keeping an eye on the Indian Mujahideen and IS kingpin. A lot of such modules have been busted,” Special Commissioner of Police Delhi, HGS Dhaliwal said.

“The main accused, Shahnawaz, was arrested with his two other partners this morning. Another accused, identified as Mohammad Rizwan, is absconding,” he said.

All the accused were presented before a special court and have been sent to police custody for seven days. “When their hideouts were raided, different equipment to make explosives were recovered. Pistols, cartridges and various literature to make bombs were also recovered,” Dhaliwal said.

“They (Mohammad Shahnawaz, Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf and Arshad Warsi) conducted a recce at various places in western and southern India. Right from procuring materials, containers and pipes for explosives were with them. They were supported and promoted by ISIS elements. They have a PAN India footprint,” Dhaliwal added.

Shahnavaz, who hails from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is a mining engineer. Interestingly, his wife, formerly known as Basanti Patel, had converted to Islam and adopted the name Mariyam.

Rizwan Ashraf has completed a B-Tech degree from Aligarh University and is pursuing a course at Jamia Millia Islamia. Meanwhile, Arshad is a religious scholar and hails from Azamgarh.

According to police, the accused were planning to target VVIPs. All three suspected terrorists have completed their studies and were allegedly planning to carry out bomb blasts in different parts of the country.