New Delhi, December 26: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at 17 locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and arrested 10 persons for their suspected involvement with a new ISIS-inspired terror module 'Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam'. The suspects were planning to carry out a spree of blasts on the eve of Republic Day, NIA IG Alok Mittal said.

According to the NIA, bomb-making materials, including a rocket launcher, were recovered during the raids. "Their targets were political persons and other important personalities and vital and security installations. Large quantities of explosive material, weapons and ammunition including a country made rocket launcher have been recovered so far," the NIA IG said.

Of the 10 persons arrested by the anti-terror probe agency, five were picked up from the western Uttar Pradesh district of Amroha following a joint operation with the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad. Five more were detained from north-east Delhi with the help of Delhi Police’s Special Cell. "The gang leader of the module is called Mufti Sohail who stays in Delhi and is a native of Amroha where he works at a mosque," Mittal said. TN: 1 Nabbed by NIA for Suspected Links with ISIS.

Three accused were identified as Idrees, Nafees and Anees -- son of Shaheed Ahmad, who owns a welding shop at Dhanaura Adda. Ahmad was also under the NIA's radar and his house in Islam Nagar was raided, reported IANS. The trio was being monitored by the anti-terror probe agency for the past three months after the sale of a pistol to terrorist Jamshed by students of DNS College.

"Level of preparation suggests their aim was to carry out explosions in near future by remote control blasts and fidayeen attacks. This is a new ISIS-inspired module and they were in touch with a foreign agent. Nearly 100 mobile phone, 135 SIM cards, laptops and amount worth Rs 7.5 lakh were seized during the raids," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 26, 2018 04:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).