ISIS modules planned to attack religious sites, carry out targeted killings

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 17, 2025: Weapons, chemical bomb-making materials and a plan to attack religious sites. In a major success, investigative agencies have busted two pan-India ISIS modules, allegedly planning targeted killings, in a week. The investigators found digital evidence linking these modules to Pakistani terrorists. The two modules were reportedly working on the Khilafat model and the Ghazwa-e-Hind agenda. The "Khilafat" model refers to occupying a place and then carrying out "jihad".

Two ISIS Modules Busted

The first module was uncovered by the Delhi Police Special Cell through raids in Jharkhand, Telangana, Bengaluru, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

Five members of the module - Ashar Danish, Aftab Qureshi, Sufian Abubakar Khan, Mohammad Huzaif Yaman, and Kamran Kamran Qureshi - were arrested. A large quantity of weapons and chemical bomb-making materials were recovered from them. The terrorists were planning target killings and attacks on religious sites, according to the sources.

The second ISIS module is linked to Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 16 locations across eight states - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Delhi - and recovered a large quantity of digital devices, documents and chemical bomb-making materials.

Digital evidence revealed that two suspected terrorists, Siraj and Sameer, incited young people through Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, Signal, and other social media platforms. A Pakistani handler shared videos of radicals in these groups.

The two suspected terrorists have been arrested in Vizianagaram.

The first accused in this case, Arif Hussain alias Abu Talib, was arrested on August 27 while he was attempting to flee to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Investigation revealed that he and his associates were conspiring to supply weapons through the Nepal border.

How Do These Modules Work

Run by Pakistani handlers, terrorists connect with youngsters on the Signal app through several groups. They are told that Muslims are being oppressed in India, and if they continue to tolerate this behaviour and remain silent, they will be doomed.

Videos of extremists are shared in groups, and then Pakistani handlers initiate one-on-one conversations through apps with any member of the group who shows interest in such videos and inflammatory statements.

According to the investigators, the four faces of terror whose speeches are used to prepare Indian youngsters for jihad (fight enemies) are Masood Azhar, Tariq Masood, Tariq Jameel, and Zakir Naik.

Maulana Masood Azhar is the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Tariq Masood is a Pakistani Deobandi scholar and preacher.

Tariq Jameel is a Pakistani Islamic cleric and Tablighi Jamaat member.

Zakir Naik is an Indian Islamic preacher and the president of the Islamic Research Foundation.