The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Thursday arrested three suspected terrorists who were allegedly planning an attack in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The arrests took place after an exchange of fire between the police and suspects in Wazirabad in Delhi, officials said.

The three men arrested were identified as Khaja Moideen (52), Syed Ali Navas (32), and Abdul Samad (28). They were allegedly inspired by the Islamic State (IS). The accused were also involved in the murder of KP Suresh Kumar, a Hindu Munnani leader.

The Special Cell said that an input was received about a group of highly radicalised people from Tamil Nadu, who committed the murder of KP Suresh Kumar and were on conditional bail, had fled under mysterious circumstances and were reported to have pledged allegiance to the IS.

"Further specific information was received that three operatives of ISIS from Tamil Nadu had entered UP East through Nepal. It is highly probable that they may further move to Delhi-NCR to carry out a terror strike," said Pramod Kushwaha, DCP, Special Cell, Delhi Police.

Delhi Police later received inputs on January 9 that these three men had shifted to Delhi with arms and ammunition by their foreign-based handler to set up a base for some kind of terror attack.

"As per source information, immediately a trap was laid near Wazirabad bridge, Delhi. The team acted swiftly and apprehended three terrorists from the spot after a brief exchange of fire in the early morning hours," the DCP added.

Preliminary interrogation by the police revealed that the accused Khaja Moideen has links with the IS.

According to the police, after being released on conditional bail in the communally sensitive murder case of KP Suresh Kumar, he made detailed plans to revive the 'ISIS network' in India through his co-associates.

"Several rounds of closed-door meetings were organised by Khaja Moideen in different hideouts to indoctrinate and also to pledge allegiance to ISIS. They were guided by a foreign-based handler. Khaja Moideena along with Syed Ali Nawaz and Abdul Samad went to Kathmandu, Nepal after illegally crossing the border with fake documents," officials said.

"After setting up a base in Nepal to be used as a hideout they came to Delhi after crossing over from the porous Indo-Nepal border. In Delhi, hideout and weapons were arranged by their foreign-based handler through one of his contacts in Delhi," they added.



However, the police have yet to disclose the name of the foreign-handler who was giving instructions to the trio.

"They were in touch with the handler through an app. We are questioning the accused," said DCP Pramod Kushwaha.

Khaja Moideen, a native of Tamil Nadu, was born in the year 1968 was arrested in 2004, for organising a training camp at Nellikuppam wherein conversion into Islam were organised along with training for handling weapons and martial arts.

In 2014, a local Hindu Munnani leader namely KP Suresh was murdered by Nawas, Haikm and Mohd. Shamim on the directions and instigation of Khaja Mohideen. In the third week of September 2017, one of his recruits Shakul Hameed alias Salavadin, an MBA dropout, was arrested from Otteri in Chennai. It was Khaja Moideen, who lured Shakul Hameed to the IS and even arranged his travel abroad.

Khaja was also arrested by the NIA in a terror case. He was associated with one Haja Fakkruddin, a native of Cuddalore, the first man from Tamil Nadu who is believed to have joined the IS after leaving his lucrative job in Singapore.

The second suspect, Syed Ali Navas was born in the year 1988 in Tamil Nadu. Syed Ali Nawas was introduced to Khaja Moideen by his neighbour and close friend Abdul Shameem. Khaja motivated him for the cause of Jihad and indoctrinated him. Syed is also accused for the murder attempt of BJP leader MR Gandhi, 68, on April 21, 2017.

Abdul Samad, a 28-year-old has been a member of the PFI. Abdul Samad completed B.Com in 2011 and did his post-graduate in Master of Computer Application. Abdul Samad established contact with Khaja after the latter was released on bail. Abdul Samad is technically very sound.