NEW DELHI (EJP)—Two suspected ISIS operatives, who were plotting an attack on a synagogue in Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, have been arrested by the anti-terrorist squad, the Times of India newspaper reported.
The suspects, arrested in Surat, have been identified as Mohammad Kasim Stimberwala and Ubed Ahmed Mirza.
While Stimberwala used to work as a laboratory technician with a hospital in Ankleshwar town, Mirza is a practicing lawyer with the Surat district court and also owns a hotel there.
Last month, the two suspects did reconnaissance on the Magen Abraham synagogue, located in the Khadia are of Ahmedabad, the largest city of Gujarat. They were planning a ‘’lone-wolf’’ attack on the synagogue, either an explosion or shooting there, the Times of India said.
The Gujarat Anti-Terror squad believes that Srimberwala and Mirza are "highly radicalised by the fundamental ideology of the Islamic State for the last many years and are actively planning to cause terrorist acts".
Both the suspected operatives of the IS were under the influence of Abdullah el-Faisal, a radical preacher based in Jamaica. El-Faisal was earlier convicted for spreading hatred in the UK and then deported to Jamaica. He was detained in Jamaica on the charges of persuading youths to travel to Syria to take up the cause of jihad.
The men reportedly had also been in touch with an Indian ISIS handler based in Afghanistan.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad is also probing the alleged relations of an air hostess with the two ISIS operatives.