Aligarh Muslim University Student Arrested Over Alleged ISIS Links

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a 19-year-old student of Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) over his alleged links with terrorist organisation ISIS.

The accused, Faizan Ansari alias Faiz, was arrested after searches at his house and rented accommodation in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh as part of the NIA's crackdown against ISIS modules in the country, the anti-terror agency said.

Faizan has been taken into custody in a case registered by the NIA on July 19 under relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The searches at the house of the accused in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district and a rented room in Aligarh were conducted on July 16 and July 17 and several electronic devices and incriminating materials and documents were seized, the anti-terror agency said.

As per the NIA, Faizan hatched a criminal conspiracy along with his associates and other unknown individuals through social media platforms to support ISIS activities in India and disseminate the outfit's propaganda on social media.

"The conspiracy was aimed at carrying out violent terror attacks in India on behalf of the ISIS," the NIA said.

Investigations revealed that Faizan and his associates had pledged their allegiance to the ISIS, the agency said, adding, "The accused was also actively in the process of radicalizing neo-converts and attracting them to the terrorist fold for enriching the cadre base of the ISIS in India."

Faizan was in contact with ISIS handlers based outside India, who were guiding him on recruitment to the outfit, the NIA claimed. 

"Along with other ISIS members, he was planning violent actions and was contemplating doing 'hijrat' to an ISIS conflict theatre abroad," it added.