NIA arrests six suspected IS terrorists, four from Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency ( NIA) has arrested six suspected Islamic State ( IS) terrorists from Karnataka of whom four were in Bengaluru, Home Minister G Parameshwara said Friday.

The other two were picked up from Tumakuru and Mangaluru, the minister added.

NIA sleuths have seized AK-47 and explosives from those arrested in Bengaluru, sources said. Preliminary investigation has revealed that they planned to disturb the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

The arrests are based on information revealed by Maulana Syed Anzar Shah Qasmi, who was picked up from Bengaluru a couple of weeks ago by the Delhi Anti Terrorist Squad.

"The six arrested are believed to have links with IS. At this point, it is not right to blame anyone when it comes to terrorism, and we should not politicize this," Parameshwara told reporters.

More than 25 suspected IS terrorists have been arrested from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Patna and various other parts of the country, including Karnataka.

The suspected operatives, it is said, were targeting engineering and medical students for recruitment into the terror outfit in Bengaluru. Investigators are presently looking into any foreign currency transactions, email conversations and bank account details belonging to these six suspects, sources said.