Delhi court rejects bail to 9 alleged Islamic State operatives

A Delhi court denied bail to nine suspected Islamic State operatives arrested for allegedly plotting a terror strike during the Ardh Kumbh at Haridwar.

On 13 June, the court denied relief - to Akhlakur Rehman, Mohd Osama, Mohd Mehraz, Mohd Azeemushan and Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed - observing that it was not a fit case for bail.

The NIA had earlier told the court that during their custodial interrogation by Delhi Police, the accused had disclosed name codes and mobile numbers of active members, recruiters, sympathizers and motivators of the Islamic State involved in furtherance of activities of their ideologies using Internet-based communication, Facebook, Skype, telephones, telegram and other means, to lure youths to join the terror organisation.The bail plea, moved by advocate M S Khan, had claimed that further custody of the accused was not required.

It was alleged they were conspiring to target the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, especially trains headed there, besides some other strategic locations in the national capital.

All of them were found to have links with a former Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist who later went to fight for the Islamic State, the agency had claimed.

--PTI