Gujarat ATS to visit Sri Lanka for further investigation into ‘ISIS terrorists’ arrested at Ahmedabad Airport

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) is preparing to visit Sri Lanka to further investigate the arrest of four ISIS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport.

This development comes as Sri Lankan police have detained two individuals related to the case, while a third suspect, Osmond Gerrard, remains at large.

Sri Lanka has declared Gerrard wanted and announced a Rs. 2 million reward for his capture.

Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) thwarted a potential terror attack with the arrest of four Sri Lankan nationals at Ahmedabad airport on May 20. 

The apprehended suspects, identified as Mohammad Nusrat (33), Mohammad Farish (35), Mohammad Nafran (27), and Mohammad Rashdeen (43), are believed to be linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The arrests of the four ISIS terrorists by the Gujarat ATS have taken a new turn with the discovery of objectionable materials in their residences. Mobile phones belonging to the terrorists have been seized and are currently under investigation by the ATS team. 

Preliminary findings suggest that the terrorists were in contact with a Muslim preacher named Abu Pakistani and had spent 42 days with him for indoctrination.

Three dedicated teams from the Gujarat ATS are actively investigating leads outside the state. Their efforts have revealed that Osmond Gerrard provided the four terrorists with four lakh rupees and has been known to change his appearance frequently to evade capture. 

Acting on information from the ATS, Sri Lankan authorities have detained two individuals, though Gerrard continues to elude arrest.

The investigation has uncovered that three additional individuals assisted the terrorists in their activities in India. The ATS is now focusing on these accomplices and examining the mobile phones of the arrested terrorists for further clues. 

Notably, it has been discovered that a weapon was delivered via drone over the Pakistan border in Punjab, adding a significant dimension to the case.

In their meticulous investigation, the ATS has analyzed CCTV data from 78,000 vehicles near Chiloda, checking 13,000 vehicles for any leads. 

Additionally, three ATS teams have been dispatched to Delhi, Rajasthan, and Punjab to pursue various angles of the investigation.

Source: The Free Press Journal
--Agencies