The ATS chief said several objectionable videos concerning weapons training and pro-Pakistan content, and some suspicious mobile numbers of Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were found on his mobile phone

One of the two men whom the state Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested from Lucknow on July 2 for their alleged links with militant organisations, had planned to carry out a major terror attack at the behest of his two handlers in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan, a senior agency official with knowledge of the investigation said.

Arora added Rizwan’s handlers had asked him to come to the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for hands-on weapons training, but he could not go.

Rizwan Khan, 23, one of the two terror suspects, allegedly had links with Hizbul Mujahideen, and was communicating with his handlers through instant messaging apps to plan a ‘lone wolf’ attack (done by an individual rather than an organisation) on Indian soil, U.P. ATS chief additional director general (ADG) Naveen Arora said.

Clarifying that the two arrests were made separately and that the accused weren’t connected, the official added Rizwan had learnt to operate the AK-47 assault rifle and other weapons online, and drew inspiration from slain militants Zakir Musa and Burhan Wani, who were from the same region as him, Mendhar Gurasi district of the Poonch region (Jammu and Kashmir). A court has sent Rizwan to ATS’ custody for 14 days that began Saturday.

“Rizwan was deeply inspired and fascinated by terrorists Zakir Musa and Burhan Wani, who were killed in encounters by security forces in the Kashmir valley in 2019 and 2016, respectively. Several weapon training videos have been retrieved from Rizwan’s phone,” Arora said.

Arora added Rizwan’s handlers had asked him to come to the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for hands-on weapons training, but he could not go.

The ATS chief said Rizwan had worked as a security guard after completing high school around five years ago so that he could get used to handling weapons. He last worked at a frozen meat factory in Lucknow’s adjoining district Unnao and had purchased a smartphone to get in touch with his handlers. Before Unnao, he had worked as a security guard in Delhi and Haryana, he added.

Arora added several objectionable videos concerning weapons training and pro-Pakistan content, and some suspicious mobile numbers of Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were found on his mobile phone.

‘Other suspect wanted to use lorry for attack’

The other terror suspect arrested the same day, Saddam Sheikh, 38, had worked as a lorry driver for nearly two decades and was planning to use a truck to carry out an attack similar to the July 14, 2016 incident in France, where a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day resulting in the deaths of 86 people and the injury of 434 others, the ATS chief confirmed.

Arora explained that Saddam had settled down in Gonda after marrying a local woman with whom he has three kids. “Seikh is highly radicalised and was planning to use a lorry as a lethal weapon. He was inspired by Al Qaeda and Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind module and used to watch videos of terror attacks involving trucks regularly,” he emphasised.

Saddam Seikh is also in the ATS’ custody for 14 days that began Saturday.