The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police apprehended Faizan Bakhteyar (24) from Aligarh on Wednesday, marking a significant breakthrough in their ongoing investigation into an ISIS module. The arrest follows the detainment of eight individuals associated with the group, all allegedly planning terror attacks in religious places across Uttar Pradesh.
A cash reward of Rs 25,000 was declared for information leading to Faizan’s arrest, emphasizing the seriousness of the threat posed by the Aligarh ISIS module. Faizan, a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at Aligarh Muslim University, disclosed during interrogation that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS alongside his associates under the influence of Rizwan Ashraf, a resident of Prayagraj.
Prashant Kumar, Director General of ATS, revealed that Faizan was actively involved in creating and expanding the network of the Aligarh ISIS module, which had a presence in multiple districts of the state. The authorities suspect the module of planning a major terrorist incident.
“The network of this Aligarh ISIS module was spread in many districts of the state. All these notorious terrorist organizations had taken allegiance to ISIS and were planning to create a major terrorist incident. Faizan was simultaneously doing MSW from Aligarh Muslim University,” said Kumar.
ATS recovered a mobile phone from Faizan, which has been sent for a forensic audit to gather additional evidence related to the terror plot. Faizan’s arrest follows the earlier detention of Abdullah Arsalan and Maaz bin Tariq, self-radicalized terrorists linked to ISIS, who were apprehended in Aligarh last November. Prohibited literature was seized from them, providing crucial leads for the ATS.
The investigation was triggered by a tip-off suggesting that individuals radicalized by ISIS were engaged in anti-national activities and forming a “jihadi group” under the guidance of their handlers in the terrorist organization. Faizan Bakhteyar, allegedly responsible for linking people with the Aligarh ISIS module, is now in custody, facing charges related to terrorism and conspiracy.