VIJAYAWADA: More shocking facts are tumbling out in the investigation pertaining to the Vizianagaram youth Siraj-ur-Rahman (29), who was arrested by Vizianagaram police in a joint operation carried by Central intelligence agencies and counterintelligence (CI) wings of both Telugu states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old engineering graduate was born in a police family. While his father works as an assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) in Vizianagaram district and his elder brother is an armed reserve (AR) constable. The family is suspected to have migrated from the regions, which are now part of Bangladesh.
Soon after the arrest, Vizianagaram police took both his father and brother into their custody and questioned them about the activities of Siraj.
During the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Siraj was attracted towards extremism and met several like-minded people like Saeed Sameer, while working in Hyderabad. He met them through social media messaging platforms like Facebook and also found to have posted several posts in support of Pakistan.
Reportedly, he became ISIS sympathiser and joined them where he was given training on bomb manufacturing. After some time, he left Hyderabad and came to his native Vizianagaram to avoid suspicion. Later, Siraj had procured explosive materials online and manufactured one small sized homemade improvised explosive device (IED), and did a trial in a forest area in Rampachodavaram. The entire act was recorded and sent to Sameer and another person in Saudi Arabia.
ISIS module from Saudi Arabia handled the duo
“Intelligence officials also found that both accused had been receiving remote instructions from a Saudi-based ISIS module. The duo were arrested on the charges of plotting bomb blasts in Hyderabad under the directives from the ISIS-affiliated Al Hind Ittehadul Misilena (AHIM), based in Saudi Arabia,” sources said.
Siraj caught the attention of Central Intelligence officials as they received a tip-off about him six months ago as he visited Saudi twice and shifted his base to his native. From then, they monitored his activities closely.
“An investigation is being carried out to find out the others involved and their other handlers. The Intelligence bureau officials are also verifying the website from where the accused Siraz purchased the explosives and places where he visited and possibility of international terror links. During his visit to Saudi, he contacted the AHIM module and received instructions for the planned attacks in Hyderabad and other places,” said the sources.