New Delhi/Bengaluru, Jan 23 (IANS) All 14 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit, who were picked up by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in cooperation with state police forces from different parts of the country, have been formally arrested, official sources said on Saturday.
Till Friday, only five of the total 14 were arrested and the rest nine were being investigated, they said.
Meanwhile, a special court in Bengaluru sent six of the arrested to NIA custody till January 27.
Of the six suspects, five — Asif, Ahad, Mohammed Sohil, Mohammed Afzal and Syed Mujaid Pasha — were produced amid tight security before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) designated court after they were medically examined.
The sixth suspect, Nazmal Huda, was being brought to the city from Mangaluru on transit remand.
“The court granted four-day remand to interrogate them on charges filed against them,” an NIA counsel told reporters later.
Among the 14 arrested, four each are from Hyderabad and Bengaluru, three from Mumbai, and one each from Lucknow, Mangaluru and Tumkur in Karnataka.
“The raids and arrests are part of the nationwide security steps being taken to prevent any incident and avoid panic in the public,” Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara had told reporters on Friday.
The raids, which were conducted at 12 locations in six cities to pick up the suspects, were on till Thursday evening, the sources said.
All the arrested have been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Nine of the total 14 who were arrested on Saturday are Sayed Mujahid, 33, a resident of Karnataka; Mohammad Aleem, 20, from Lucknow; Mohammed Obedullah Khan, 33, and Abu Anas, 24, from Hyderabad; Asif Ali alias Arman Saani, 21, Suhail Ahmed, 23, Muhammed Abdul Ahad, 46, from Bengaluru; Mohammad Hussain Khan, 36, from Mumbai and Imran Khan Pathan from Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, Mohammad Nafees Khan, Mohammad Shareef Mounuddin Khan, Najmul Huda and Mohammad Afzal, were arrested on Friday. They are all accused of encouraging the youth to join the IS.
Incriminating documents, mobiles, laptops and unaccounted cash and material used in making bombs were seized during the raids.
Huge quantities of arms and ammunition were seized from the rented house of two of the suspects in Bengaluru, an official told IANS on Friday.
Home Ministry Joint Secretary (Internal Security) MA Ganapathy had said all suspects are “radicalised youths” and more information would come out once ongoing investigations are over.