A resident of Mumbai satellite township Mumbra, who was arrested in a joint operation by the National Investigation Agency and the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad on Friday for being an "Islamic State sympathiser", was produced in an NIA court. Abdul Sheikh was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian penal code, The Indian Express reported.
Earlier on Friday, the NIA busted a network of terrorists, reportedly connected to IS, who were planning to carry out simultaneous bomb blasts across the country on the eve of Republic Day, reported The Hindu. Reports said four people were arrested in Hyderabad, and authorities seized explosives as well. Several people were also detained in Rajasthan and Karnataka in raids conducted on Thursday night. Up to 14 people have been arrested so far, reports said. Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwara told ANI that four suspected terrorists were arrested were Bengaluru, one from Tumkur and one from Hubli.
The raids come days after security agencies arrested four suspected IS terrorists from Uttarakhand. They were allegedly planning to attack the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Haridwar and shopping malls in the Delhi-National Capital Region. The French Consulate in Bengaluru also recently received a threat letter, ahead of President Francois Hollande's visit. On Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain also received a threat letter, reported ANI.
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