March 17, 2025 11:37 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Union minister Aswini Vaishnaw calls Tamil a ‘sweet language’ amid Tamil Nadu’s Hindi imposition row | Bengal's Birbhum witnesses violent clashes over Holi; internet suspended, heavy security deployed | Haryana BJP leader shot dead by neighbour over land dispute, incident caught on camera | Airbag blocked my view, claims 20-year-old law student whose car crashed into vehicles killing 1 in Vadodara | Mark Carney takes oath as new Canada Prime Minister | Man attacks people with iron rod inside Golden Temple in Amritsar, leaves 5 injured | Not disrespectful: Tamilian who designed rupee symbol reacts to Stalin govt's currency move | In a setback for Donald Trump, US judge orders federal agencies to rehire fired workers: Report | 'We will thwart conspiracies hatched by Centre': Revanth Reddy on delimitation exercise | Chennai doctor, his wife along with two sons die by suicide due to huge debt: Cops
IslamicState
Image: Wallpaper Cave

Murtaza was in contact with Islamic State fighters, sympathisers: UP ATS

| @indiablooms | Apr 30, 2022, at 11:57 pm

New Delhi: The Anti Terror Squad of Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday claimed that Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, who was arrested in connection with attack on Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, was in contact with ISIS fighters and sympathisers through various social media platforms.

An ATS spokesman said Murtaza was quizzed by the agency which also analysed the data of various electronic devices recovered on the identification of the accused.

"His social media accounts as well as financial transactions from bank accounts of Murtaza and e-wallet were also analysed," he said.

The spokesman said along with the ISIS fighters and sympathisers, Murtaza was also in contact with ISIS propaganda activist Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who was arrested by Bengaluru police, through a social media account.

"He was completely influenced with the 'jihadi' literature, audio and video promoting terror ideology related to ISIS and radical preachers of various terrorists organisations," he said.

He claimed that the accused took oath before the preacher of a terror outfit Ansar-ul-Tauheed in 2013, which later merged with ISIS in 2014.

"After this the accused again took oath of ISIS in 2020," he said. The spokesman said, "From his bank accounts Murtaza sent around Rs 8.5 lakh to different countries in Europe and America through various organisations of the ISIS to help the terrorists organisation in its terror activities."

He claimed that with an aim of executing a act of terror Murtaza thoroughly read and saw the literature and video related to various weapons like AK 47 rifle, M4 carbine and Missile Technology.

"He even practiced with an air rifle," he said. The spokesman said to execute the act of terror Murtaza attacked Gorakhnath temple in lone wolf attack style and the security personnel with a sharp-edged weapon in an attempt to snatch their fire-arms.

"The accused planned to snatch the weapon of the security personnel and execute a major incident," he said.

Notably, on April 3, Murtaza, a resident of Civil Lines in Gorakhpur, attacked the Gorakhnath temple and injured three personnel with a sharp-edged weapon.

He was later overpowered by the security personnel and arrested by police.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered a probe by the ATS and Special Task Force (STF). Along with other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has also been slapped against him.

(With UNI inputs)

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu