Hyderabad, Aug 13: Ahead of Independence Day, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested two suspected ISIS terrorists (also known as Islamic State or IS) in Hyderabad allegedly for planning to carry out terror attacks in the country and recruiting people for the terror outfit. One of the suspects had tried twice earlier to leave the country and fight for the ISIS in Syria.

The two accused were identified as Abdullah Basith (24) and his associate Mohammed Abdul Qhadeer (19). Both are part of a group of eight men from Hyderabad who are being questioned by NIA on suspicion of having links with ISIS, reported Indian Express. So far, 78 Indians have been arrested by the NIA for their alleged links with the terror outfit.

"Initial questioning has brought out the involvement of accused Abdullah Basith, Mohd Abdul Qhadeer and other associates in pledging their allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organisation IS to carry out terror activities in India," Alok Mittal, NIA IG, said. Basith allegedly has links with key ISIS recruiter Adnan Hassan Damudi, who had been deported from Dubai in 2016.

Basith, a resident of Hafeezbaba Nagar, had tried to leave for Syria via Bangladesh with three others in 2014. However, the group was caught in Malda while attempting to cross the border. At the time, Hyderabad Police had counselled them and let free after a warning. However, Basith didn't give up and made another attempt in December 2015.

At that time, Basith, along with his cousin Syed Hussaini and an associate from 2014 Maaz Hassan Farooqui, was detained at Nagpur airport. The group had planned to enter Pakistan-occupied Kashmir via Srinagar. All three were arrested, and the trial in the case is underway. Basith and others have been under scanner since 2014 for suspicious online activities.

"Basith and several of the others were under surveillance since 2014. However, their online activity recently suggested that they were in touch with someone from abroad and were planning to execute an attack,” a security official was quoted as saying.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2018 09:08 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).