Busted IS cell wanted to plant beef in Hyderabad temple to spark riots during Ramzan

NIA was prompted by a telephonic conversation on June 25 in which they talked about buffalo meat.

Updated: June 30, 2016 4:05 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

Busted IS cell wanted to plant beef in Hyderabad temple to spark riots during Ramzan

Hyderabad, June 30: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday busted an Islamic State (IS) module in Hyderabad and detained 11 members who were planning attacks in India. NIA also recovered arms and ammunition from the team. They were allegedly plotting powerful blasts to target VVIPS and crowded places in the city. Times of India reported that they were also planning to create a religious rift in the city by planting buffalo meat at Bhagyalakshmi temple at the base of Charminar. They were planning to create riots during the holy month of Ramzan. The arrested men were in regular touch with IS handler for India, Shafia Arman.

NIA was prompted by a telephonic conversation on June 25 in which they talked about buffalo meat. The attacks are bring routed through Dubai. Times of India quoted an NIA officer as saying, “This was the clincher for us to pick up the module. Our assessment is that the IS-inspired youths, who were in touch with a Syria-based handler identified as ‘Amir’ but suspected to be Shafi Armar alias Yousuf al Hindi, were planning to carry out bomb blasts to target VVIPs and crowded places like malls and shopping centres, including around Charminar, while also planting beef at nearby temples. A possible target was Bhagyalakshmi temple.” (ALSO READ- ISIS module busted: NIA detains 11 with suspected terror links in Hyderabad)

On Wednesday, five youths — Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani, head of the module, Mohammad Ilyas Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi, Habeeb Mohammad and Mohammad Irfan — were arrested while six others were questioned. Most of the suspects are in their 20s and 30s, are well-educated and hold jobs. Compared to earlier IS modules in India, the Hyderabad module had a funding of Rs 15 lakha nd had high-grade explosive material along with air guns and other modern gadgets.

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