UP ATS Arrests 19-Year-Old for ISIS Links
Dentistry student held in Moradabad for alleged role in online terror network using social media and encrypted apps
- UP ATS arrests 19-year-old BDS student from Saharanpur in Moradabad
- Accused allegedly linked to ISIS online module and handlers
- Used Instagram, Discord and encrypted apps to spread propaganda
- Case registered under UAPA and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
GG News Bureau
Lucknow, 17th March: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 19-year-old dentistry student for allegedly having links with an online module of the banned terror outfit ISIS, officials said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Haarish Ali, a resident of Saharanpur district, was arrested from Moradabad on Sunday during an ongoing investigation into ISIS-linked online networks operating in India.
According to an official statement, the second-year BDS student was allegedly in contact with ISIS handlers and sympathisers through social media platforms such as Instagram and encrypted applications including Session and Discord.
The ATS said intelligence inputs had indicated that individuals in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country were creating online groups to propagate ISIS ideology, with the aim of establishing a Sharia-based caliphate system and recruiting new members.
These groups were reportedly used to share propaganda content, extremist literature and operational instructions related to ISIS activities.
Based on these inputs, a case was registered at the ATS police station in Lucknow under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
During the investigation, officials found that the accused allegedly created multiple online groups using pseudonyms and virtual private networks (VPNs) to evade detection while recruiting individuals and circulating extremist material.
The ATS further said that the accused operated a group named “Al Ittihad Media Foundation” and maintained links with individuals connected to ISIS networks both within India and abroad.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify other individuals associated with the network and to dismantle the wider online terror ecosystem.
