16 July,2016 07:20 AM IST | | Vijay Kumar Yadav
A day after officers from Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested ISIS operative Naser Bin Yafai Chaus, investigators have now learnt that the radicalised 31-year-old Commerce graduate was trained online by his Syrian handler Faruq in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
mid-day's report on Thursday highlighting Naser Chaus's arrest
A day after officers from Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested ISIS operative Naser Bin Yafai Chaus, investigators have now learnt that the radicalised 31-year-old Commerce graduate was trained online by his Syrian handler Faruq in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
mid-day's report on Thursday highlighting Naser Chaus's arrest
While the hunt is on to trace the raw materials Naser procured to make IEDs to execute a 'major operation' in India, an officer said stringent sections under the explosives act will be slapped against him if they recover an IED. The officer added that Naser was instructed to strike during the holy months of Ramzan, but was later asked to abort the mission due to unspecified reasons.
"Being a civil contractor, it wasn't difficult for him to amass raw materials required to make IEDs. Investigation is on to find his sources," said an ATS officer, adding that Naser had created various fake profiles on social media apps like Telegram, Chatsecure Twitter and Skype, among others, using which he was in touch with Faruq for over a year.
It was learnt that Naser was taken into custody after he failed to provide investigators satisfactory answers over renewal of his passport years after it expired. He told the officers that he renewed it to visit his relatives in Dubai and Syria. ATS is now scrutinising his contacts, as he was also allegedly involved in radicalising and recruiting young men to join the ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Following his arrest on Thursday night, Naser and Faruq were booked under relevant sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for acts of terrorism, recruiting members for terrorist activities, conspiracy, being a member of and supporting a terrorist organisation (ISIS). Naser was produced in the Sambhajinagar Special Court following his arrest, which remanded him in ATS custody till July 20.
Profile
Naser resided with his family in Gaadivaan muhalla in Parbhani. His family comprises mother, father, wife and three brothers. Two of his brothers run a hotel at Parbhani's Grand Chowk. Naser graduated in Commerce from Shivaji Mahavidyalay, following which he tried pursuing a degree in a technical subject but left it midway. A strict follower of Islam, he never missed offering prayers five times a day.
