Two ISIS operatives, planning to target religious places, arrested by Gujarat ATS

Rajkot/Bhavanagar: In a major breakthrough, the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) officials arrested two persons from Gujarat for their alleged links with ISIS (Islamic State).

Reportedly, the two arrested terror suspects were allegedly planning a bomb blast in Chotila Mandir.

Chotila Chamunda Mata ji temple is situated in Surendranagar district, near Rajkot.

Wasim Ramodiya and Naeem, who have MCA and BCA degrees respectively, were allegedly in contact with ISIS handlers.

The police added they have recovered bomb-making material from them.

Based on a specific information about their alleged activities "inspired by the jihadi ideology of ISIS", ATS officials nabbed Wasim from Rajkot and his younger brother Naeem from Bhavnagar during an early morning operation, said officials.

According to Inspector General of Gujarat ATS, JK Bhatt, explosives as well as jihadi literature were found from these suspected ISIS operatives during raids at their residences in Rajkot and Bhavnagar.

"We have been keeping a close watch on them since last three months, as they were found to be in contact with ISIS through Skype and other social media platforms like Telegram, Twitter and Whatsapp. We conducted raids in Rajkot and Bhavnagar and nabbed the duo," Bhatt told reporters in Ahmedabad today, as per PTI.

Investigation has revealed that the two had planned to attack the famous temple at Chotila town of Surendranagar district, ATS ACP BS Chavda said.

He said that to create terror, they planned to record and upload the video of the attack on social media. They had also planned to carry out blasts at different places and also set on fire vehicles to spread terror, Chavda said.

The brothers, who had degrees in computer application, were indoctrinated in jihadi philosophy during the last two years after coming in contact with ISIS literature online, Chavda said.

They were also in touch with ISIS' controversial preacher Mufti Abdus Sami Qasmi, arrested by NIA in February 2016, said the officer.

Last year, the ATS of Rajasthan had arrested an alleged Islamic State operative in Sikar district who was involved in collecting and transferring funds for the terror organisation from Dubai.

Meanwhile, Indian doctor K Ramamurthy who landed in India after being rescued from the clutches of ISIS, said that the terror outfit is keeping an eye on the development of education and economy in India and wants and wants to push their ideology in the country.

Rescued from the Islamic State prison on February 14, Dr Ramamurthy said that the members of the terror outfit are educated youngsters and know everything about India's growth.

 "These ISIS people are well-educated youngsters and they do know about India and its development and how it has developed in education, economy and everything else. They are interested in India. But, I did understand that they wanted to spread the ideology of their nation to other parts of the world, including India," he said. 

(With PTI inputs)