Lucknow, 13 Sept : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached a house in UP as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ after discovering that it was being used to make preparations for terror attacks by an active member of the banned terrorist organization Al-Qaeda and Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind, the agency announced on Wednesday.
The Hidden Terror Network: Inside the House of Minhaj Ahmed
Minhaj Ahmed, the accused, was using the property (house no. 602/400) in Adnanpalli area Dubagga locality in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow district for carrying out various terror-related unlawful activities, including the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices and Petrol bombs, in order to carry out terrorist attacks in the state. The property is registered in Minhaj’s father’s name, as well as the latter’s mother and brother’s names.
The NIA, which seized the property on Monday in accordance with Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, discovered that the accused, Minhaj, had been working closely with Adil Nabi Teli alias Musa, a terrorist affiliated with TRF (an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist organization Laskhar-e-Taiba). Musa was assassinated by Security forces on March 16, 2022.
The NIA’s investigation into the radicalization and recruiting of individuals for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) led to Minhaj’s contacts with Musa. According to the NIA, Minhaj gave monies to the co-accused in order for them to carry out violent Jihadist (terrorist) operations in Kashmir.
NIA recovers raw materials, components for IED from Lucknow house
The accused had procured certain raw materials and components to fabricate an IED in a Pressure cooker, which was recovered from the property attached on Monday, according to the NIA. According to the anti-terrorist agency, Minhaj also built a trial IED using tiny quantities of materials and tested it on the roof of the aforementioned residence. Furthermore, the CIA discovered that Minhaj had captured a video of the IED’s manufacture and controlled explosion and provided it to Musa.
Minhaj also made a petrol bomb and showed Musa a video of it being made. Minhaj Ahmad had also obtained a revolver and live ammo, which he had hidden in his room on the first floor of the aforementioned residence.
The case was first filed by the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow division on July 11, 2021, however it was taken over and re-filed by the NIA on July 29, 2021. So far, the NIA has detained and charged six people in the case.
