Delhi Police Special Cell on Sunday (August 23) recovered huge amount of explosives on the basis of the information provided by arrested ISIS operative Mustaqeem during his interrogation. It is learnt that the police has also succeeded in recovering the explosive belt prepared by Mustaqeem to carry out 'fidayeen' (suicide) attack in Delhi. Police have also recovered two suicide vests, ISIS flags and jihadi literature from Mustaqeem's home in Uttar Pradesh.
Mustaqeem was arrested on Friday (August 21) night following a brief exchange of fire from the section of the Ridge Road between Dhaula Kuan and Karol Bagh. According to Delhi Police, Mustaqeem, who belongs to Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh, had planned terror strikes in crowded areas of the national capital.
The police recovered two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), weighing approximately 15 kilograms in two pressure cookers, from his possession. Besides, a pistol was also recovered from him at the time of arrest
Addressing a press briefing, PS Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell), Delhi Police, said, “Two pressure cooker IEDs were recovered from Mohammad Mustaqeem Khan, alias Abu Yusuf, a resident of Balarampur in Uttar Pradesh.”
DCP Kushwah added that Mustaqeem had planned a terror strike in Delhi on August 15 but he failed to carry out the attack due to heavy security arrangements.
According to Delhi Police, Mustaqeem alias Abu Yusuf was in touch with ISIS handlers who instructed him to plan terror strikes in India. He had also made passports in the name of his wife and 4 children. Earlier, he was being handled by Yusuf Alhindi who was killed in Syria. Later, Abu Huzafa, a Pakistani, was handling him. Huzafa was also later killed in drone strike in Afghanistan, the DCP Special Cell told reporters. Khan had been under watch for the last year, the DCP added.
