In a covert operation spanning multiple states, Indian security agencies have apprehended five suspected ISIS operatives, exposing a terror plot with chilling implications. The arrests, made in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Telangana, have revealed a network allegedly involved in assembling chemical weapons and recruiting youth for terrorist activities.

At the center of this network is Ashar Danish, a postgraduate in English, who was arrested from a lodge in Ranchi. Danish, who used the code name "Gazwa," had been living in Ranchi since January, disguising himself as a student. He is believed to be an expert in making bombs and chemical weapons. During the raid at Tabarak Lodge in Islamnagar, authorities seized a pistol and several digital devices from Danish.

The joint operation, which included the Delhi Police Special Cell, Jharkhand Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), and Ranchi Police, was launched after receiving a tip-off about the suspected ISIS terrorist. Following continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering, Danish was apprehended. Authorities are interrogating Danish to uncover critical information about ISIS's activities and connections within the region, with a particular focus on identifying individuals who were in contact with him and understanding the extent of his operations.

The investigation revealed that the arrested individuals were part of a sleeper module tasked with making bombs, procuring weapons, and increasing the organization's strength. They were allegedly operating under a "Khilafat" model, directed from Pakistan, which involved occupying an area and carrying out "jihad". The terrorists were in constant communication with their handlers in Pakistan through social media.

The authorities recovered a significant amount of chemicals and bomb-making equipment from the possession of the arrested individuals. The seized materials included hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sulphur powder, pH value checker, ball bearings, a lap top, a mobile phone, weighing machine, beaker set, safety gloves, respiratory masks, and a plastic container with a motherboard and wires. These materials are consistent with assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The arrests have heightened alertness among security agencies across the region. Authorities are investigating whether a person detained in the Palamu district has any links to Ashar Danish's alleged network.

Other individuals arrested in connection with this ISIS-inspired module include Aftab and Abu Sufiyan, both residents of Mumbai, who were arrested from Delhi's Nizamuddin railway station, Kamran Qureshi, arrested from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh, and Huzaif Yemen, from Telangana.

The suspects, inspired by IS ideology, were allegedly planning to carry out IED attacks and wanted to establish an Islamic Caliphate. However, the probe suggests that an ISI operative was masquerading as an IS recruiter. The joint interrogation of the suspects detained during the raids is underway by various agencies, which are looking to unravel the extent of the plot and the involvement of other suspects.