The Andhra Pradesh police have uncovered a major terrorism-related network and arrested 12 suspects in a coordinated multi-state operation. Of these, three are residents of Vijayawada, while the rest were caught from Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, and Rajasthan.
According to police and intelligence officials, the arrested individuals were in contact with foreign handlers linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. They were allegedly involved in anti-national activities, radicalizing youth, and preparing for jihad.
Three of the Arrested Suspects are from Andhra Pradesh
- Mohammed Rahmatullah Sharif (23 years old, bike taxi driver)
- Mirza Sohail Beg (23 years old, restaurant employee)
- Mohammed Danish (27 years old, laser marking professional)
All three are residents of Vijayawada city. According to the police, they had formed a group called Al Malik Islamic Youth, aimed at influencing young people with extremist ideology, preparing them for jihad, and expanding the network across the country.
The Campaign Operated in the Following Manner
According to preliminary investigations, bike taxi driver Rahmatullah was influenced by the hate-filled speeches of international terrorist leaders and actively followed and shared extremist content on social media.
Rahmatullah, along with laser marking professional Danish and restaurant worker Sohail Beg, allegedly expanded jihad-related activities through online platforms.
They Were in Contact with Foreign Handlers
Rahmatullah established contact via social media with a foreign handler named Al-Hakim Shakoor and, following his instructions, worked alongside Shadman Dilkhush from Bihar and Saida Begum from Hyderabad.
The officer said that, in addition, he established connections with individuals linked to the ISIS-associated “Benex Com” group, including Ajmanullah Khan (Bihar), Lucky Ahmed (Delhi), Mir Asif Ali (West Bengal), Zeeshan (Rajasthan), Abdul Salam (Karnataka), Shahrukh Khan, and Shiyak Piaz-ur-Rahman (Maharashtra).
The Following Charges Have Been Leveled
- Operating under the instructions of foreign handlers, including Al-Hakim Shakoor.
- Sharing extremist content through social media platforms (Instagram, Telegram, etc.), watching videos of Osama bin Laden, and imitating him.
- Replacing the national flag with the ISIS flag, mocking the national anthem, burning the national flag, and declaring India to be an Islamic state.
- Working on the concept of Ghazwa-e-Hind and planning to receive terrorist training in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- Coordination with suspects from other states, including Shadman Dilkhush (Bihar), Saida Begum (Hyderabad), Ajmanullah Khan (Bihar), Lucky Ahmed (Delhi), Mir Asif Ali (West Bengal), Zeeshan (Rajasthan), Abdul Salam (Karnataka), Shahrukh Khan, and Shiyak Piaz-ur-Rahman (Maharashtra), among others.
These Individuals were Planning to Travel to Pakistan
Further investigation revealed that they were making arrangements to travel to Pakistan within a month to undergo training, and were also encouraging youth to receive terrorist training in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The police further stated that the investigation is ongoing to identify additional links and prevent the expansion of the network.
