Siraj was under the radar of the intelligence agencies for the last one year
Siraj-Ur-Rehaman who was arrested on Sunday by Vizianagaram police on the charges of making improvised explosive devices and possessing explosive material, was under the scanner of various intelligence agencies including the counter intelligence department of the Andhra Pradesh Police, for the last one year.
The 29-year-old B-Tech graduate (Mechanical) was apparently in touch with his handler who operates from a country in the Middle East, for the past one year, through various social media accounts.
As per the initial investigation he was under the process of making a low-intensity IED with the use of potassium nitrate, ammonia and sulphur. It was his handler who was teaching him in the making of the IEDs, which could be remotely operated.
As per sources in the police, he was being instructed and coached in making the IED through videos through social media by his handler and the device that was allegedly in his possession was a 'Test model'.
What his plans were and where he planned to use them, is yet to be known and the case is now being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Another critical aspect to be found out is whether he was affiliated to some larger known terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad or was acting as a 'lone wolf' under instructions and training from some smaller splinter terrorist group.
After finishing his B. Tech, he tried his hand in a number of jobs, including joining the A.P. Police. His father and brother are serving employees in the A.P. State government and they have good track record and were unaware of his activities.
It is learnt that after his failed attempts in securing a decent job, he had come in contact with his handler, about a year back, and was apparently 'radicalised'. His handler showed videos of various organisations such as Hamas and anti-Hindutva and anti-Israel propaganda videos to motivate him to turn to terror activities. He was also reportedly using various social media accounts to propagate Islamic terror ideology to others.
A few months ago he had come in contact with Syed Sameer of Hyderabad and they both formed a group. Sameer was also arrested by Vizianagaram police from Hyderabad on Sunday.
Sameer, had studied only up to class seven in a Madarasa in Hyderabad and was motivated by Siraj to join him, said DIG of Visakhapatnam Range Gopinath Jatti.
Apart from finding the chemical ingredients the police team also found PVC pipes, wires and other material from the abandoned house, which was allegedly used by Siraj to make the IED.
Post the Pahalgam terror attack, the intelligence agencies and the counter intelligence departments have increased the surveillance across the country and as per sources in the police and in the counter intelligence department, there could be sleeper cells in the districts of Guntur and Krishna, Nellore and Kurnool, and surveillance has been enhanced.
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