In a sweeping multi-state operation, police forces from Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have arrested 12 individuals suspected of ties to banned terrorist groups al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), reported NDTV.

The arrests, spanning several states, uncovered a network radicalising youth through online platforms, including a popular gaming app.

The suspects hail from diverse regions: Mohammad Rahmatullah Shareef, Mirza Sohail Beg, and Mohammad Danish from Andhra Pradesh; Shadman Dilkush and Ajmanullah Khan from Bihar; Lucky Ahmed from Delhi's Rohini area; Mir Asif Ali from West Bengal; Zeeshan from Rajasthan; Abdul Salam from Karnataka; Shah Rukh Khan and Shiyak Piyaz ur Rehman from Maharashtra; and Saida Begum from Telangana.

Investigations revealed that the group first connected with foreign handlers of AQIS and ISIS via a gaming application, which served as an initial recruitment channel. From there, they formalised their allegiance, linking up with "Benex Com", a shadowy outfit affiliated with ISIS.

Authorities disclosed that the accused had engaged in overt acts of sedition. They replaced India's national flag with the ISIS banner on their social media profiles, publicly burnt the tricolour, and posted content praising ISIS while calling for India to be transformed into an Islamic state. They also derided the national anthem in online propaganda.

Further probes indicated imminent plans for cross-border movement. The group was preparing to travel to Pakistan within a month for military training, while actively urging young recruits to join camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

At the core of the network were three key figures from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh: Mohammad Rahmatullah Shareef, a bike taxi driver; Mirza Sohail Beg, a restaurant worker; and Mohammad Danish, a laser marking technician. These men had established "Al Malik Islamic Youth", a radical cell aimed at indoctrinating impressionable youth and grooming them for jihad.

The trio propagated the ideology of Ghazwa-e-Hind—a contested concept envisioning a war to establish Islamic rule in India. They expanded their reach nationwide by coordinating with operatives in other states, leveraging encrypted chats and social media.

Rahmatullah Shareef played a pivotal role, forging direct contact with a foreign handler known as Al-Hakeem Shukur via social media. Acting on instructions, he linked up with Shadman Dilkush in Bihar and Saida Begum in Hyderabad, steadily building a broader syndicate.

The network's digital footprint was extensive. The accused uploaded videos portraying themselves as mujahideen—holy warriors—and obsessively viewed footage of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, mimicking his rhetoric in their own radicalising content.

This operation highlights the evolving threat of online radicalisation, where everyday apps like gaming platforms serve as gateways to extremism. Police continue to interrogate the suspects, with fears that more recruits may be active across India.

NDTV