Lucknow, September 16: Under the Yogi government's zero-tolerance policy against crime and terrorism, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested another terrorist while taking action against a module linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). With the assistance of the Tamil Nadu ATS, the UP ATS arrested Maqsood Ali from Coimbatore. Earlier, the main accused terrorist in the same case, Mohammad Nabeel, was arrested from Azamgarh on September 12.
Maqsood Ali (19) is a resident of Madhavapur village in the Bansi police station area of Siddharthnagar district. He was currently residing in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The UP ATS has brought him to Lucknow on transit remand, where he is being produced before the competent court and further legal proceedings are being undertaken.
According to the ATS, Maqsood Ali, a native of Siddharthnagar in Uttar Pradesh, was creating groups on various social media platforms and recruiting youth for anti-national activities. They were being influenced by radical ideology and encouraged to become Mujahideen, as well as being linked to plans involving the procurement of funds and training in the use of modern weapons. The investigation has also revealed links between this module and individuals in other states of the country, as well as foreign nationals.
During the investigation, it emerged that Maqsood Ali had come into contact with handlers in Pakistan as part of a conspiracy to carry out anti-national violent activities. According to the ATS, he was developing a “hacking tool” while remaining in contact with Pakistani handlers. During questioning, he stated that he had acquired knowledge of Python, Java, coding and hacking through online resources, Instagram, YouTube, Telegram and various WhatsApp groups.
To advance his objectives, Maqsood had also developed a secure application called “Captain M Network”. Its motto was, “One Platform, One Purpose: Unity, Plan and Action.” The investigation revealed that Nabeel, Maqsood and others were connected through this platform. Information regarding Maqsood’s WhatsApp groups has also come to light. These included groups such as UU Entry Gate, United Ummah, Ghazwa-e-Hind, Team Black Hat and Lashkar-e-Mehdi. These groups also included other Pakistani hackers, including suspicious individuals using Pakistani phone numbers. Radical and jihadist ideology was being propagated through these groups.
Maqsood was also associated with a WhatsApp group named “La Ghalib-Illallah”, created by Mohammad Nabeel. Literature related to the banned terrorist organisation AQIS and videos relating to bomb-making were being shared in this group.
