HYDERABAD: Continuing its probe into the Abu Dhabi terror module busted in 2016, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out fresh searches at the residence of Abdullah Basith’s second wife, and at two other locations near Hyderabad on Saturday. Searches were also conducted at one location in Wardha, Maharashtra.
Abdullah Basith and another youngster, Mohd Qadeer, were arrested by the NIA from Hyderabad in 2018 for their alleged links with ISIS handlers. Officials are also probing if Basith married his second wife after knowing her alleged inclination to ISIS ideology.
After the searches on Saturday, one youngster was picked up for questioning from King’s Colony here, and mobile phones, SIM cards and laptops were seized. The youngster’s neighbours identified him as Taha Masood Lamba. Four suspects were taken for questioning and released later in the day, the NIA said, adding that they are likely to be summoned again.
During the searches, a number of digital devices including 13 mobile phones, 11 SIM cards, 1 iPad, 2 Laptops, 1 External Hard disk, 6 Pen drives, 6 SD Cards and 3 Walkie Talkie Sets, other incriminating documents have been seized from the houses of the suspects.
Earlier in August 2018, NIA had arrested two youths from Hyderabad — Mohd Abdullah Basith and Mohd Abdul Qadeer — for their alleged links with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and it’s handlers.
During the investigation, it was found that at least three persons from Hyderabad, including Basith’s second wife, were regularly in touch with ISIS sympathizers through social media platforms and messaging applications.
Earlier, in a supplementary charge sheet filed in February 2018, the NIA mentioned Abdullah Basith was continuously making efforts to propagate the ideology of ISIS in India, for which he entered into a conspiracy with ISIS handlers and his associates, while Qadeer came under the influence of accused Basith.