NIA arrests key accused in Vizianagaram ISIS conspiracy case

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a person involved in supply of weapons in various parts of the country for jihadi activities, officials said on Thursday.

Arif Hussain alias Abu Talib, a resident of Bihar, was nabbed Wednesday evening by an NIA team at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here while he was attempting to flee the country, they said.

Arif is another key accused in the Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh) ISIS terrorist conspiracy case, the officials said.

The accused will be produced before the NIA special court in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

NIA investigations revealed that Arif had been in contact with accused Siraj-ur-Rahman, already arrested in the case earlier along with Syed Sameer, said a statement issued by the probe agency.

Siraj and Sameer were found to be in possession of chemicals used for making IEDs, and were conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks, it said.

"Arif was involved in illegal supply of weapons in various parts of the country for jihadi activities, the investigations further revealed," the statement said.

The Andhra Pradesh Police and its Telangana counterpart held a joint operation on May 17 this year that led to the arrest of Siraj and Sameer for allegedly conspiring to carry out bomb blasts in Vizianagaram and other parts of the state. PTI AKV KVK KVK