Meet the men who 'plotted' ISIS terror attack in Hyderabd

The prime targets for the ISIS module in the city have been identified as Inorbit Mall and the IT zone in Madhapur.

Five Hyderabad-based people -- Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani alias Ibbu, Habeeb Mohammed alias Sir, Mohammed Ilyas Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi and Muzaffar Hussain Rizwan -- were arrested by NIA Tuesday after a series of searches at 10 locations in the city, with the assistance from Hyderabad Police.

Read: Arrested ISIS men planned to target prominent personalities

Among the arrested suspects, Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi aka Fahad, and Mohammed Ilyas Yazdani have been identified as the leaders.

The prime targets for the ISIS module in the city have been identified as Inorbit Mall and the IT zone in Madhapur.

Read: Arrest of six ISIS operators creates flutter in Karimnagar

In the several-hours-long raid, NIA officials seized target boards used for shooting practice, two pistols, an air gun, explosive substances (urea, acids and Hydrogen Peroxide) and other material used for making indigenous explosive devises (IEDs) besides Rs 15 lakh in cash which the arrested claimed was earned through trade.

The suspects were apparently in touch with key ISIS recruiter Shafi Armar, a former Indian Mujahideen operative based in Syria, and took orders from him over internet.

Read: Poor security at Lumbini Park, Hussainsagar area

Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani, 30, an engineer from Chatta Bazaar, and his brother Mohammed Iliyas Yazdani, 24, from Aman Nagar, were family friends of Fahed. The trio had started working together to attract other youngsters to IS.

Read: ISIS terrorists say they had plans for mass killing in Hyderabad

Sources said that the explosives and arms were seized from the houses of the two brothers in Amannagar and Chatta Bazaar. Apart from these three, the NIA arrested Mohammed Irfan aka Yaqus, 27, from Zahera Nagar, Mir Alam Mandi, and Habeeb Muhammmed, 32, from Yousuf Gulshan Colony, Hashamabad.

Read: Azhar’s arrest was case of ‘mistaken identity’

Here is what we know of the five arrested:

Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani, 32

Parents passed away when young; brought up by three elder brothers. Graduated in engineering from Anwarul Uloom College of Engineering and Technology in 2003. Worked in the Middle East and then for a short while in Hyderabad, before quitting. Reportedly learnt to create explosives from online manuals. He and his younger brother accumulated several litres of hydrogen peroxide over three months and bought utensils to prepare the mixtures.

Mohd Iliyas Yazdani, 24

Brother of Mohammad Ibrahim Yazdani. Graduate in computer applications. Worked part-time at a Mee Seva centre. Used to visit his brother daily. Reports quoted relatives as saying that both brothers were jobless and spent a lot of time on the computer. They were mild-mannered and never showed aggressive behaviour, reports added.

Muzaffar Hussain Rizwan, 29

Tenant Ibrahim Yazdani’s house. Salesman at a shoe shop in Chatta Bazaar, where Ibrahim lives. Was very close to the Yazdani brothers.

Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi aka Fahad, 31

BBA graduate. Refits motorcycles at workshops. Married and has a son. Reportedly the brain behind the module. Opened channels of communication with IS handler Shafi Armar. Quiet, reserved man. The NIA says he trained in bomb-making in recent months. Fahad also stocked up on hydrogen peroxide and acetone.

Habeeb Mohd, 32

Computer science engineer from Kakatiya University, Warangal. Lived at Yousuf Gulshan Colony of Chandrayangutta, an area from where at least four youths tried to go to Syria and join IS last year. Worked as a system’s administrator with an IT company before starting an Internet café. Purchased two pistols from Nanded, and also visited Ajmer, allegedly to meet arms suppliers. Was reportedly scouting for assault rifles. (This story originally appeared in the deccan Chronicle as may the case be)