Islamic State suspect Mustakim Khan used to train youth near his village

Mohd Mustakim Khan, the terror suspect who was arrested by the Delhi Police earlier this month, used to train the youth near his village in Uttar Pradesh, police officials said.

According to Hindustan Times’ sister publication Hindustan, Khan used to visit a local mosque in Siddharthnagar district where he would lure the youth towards his cause. He wanted to establish the rule of terror outfit Islamic State in India, officials told Hindustan.

He was busy in these activities for- the past two years, Hindustan further quoted officials as saying. Khan wanted to carry out a suicide attack, the officials said. When he got no help, Khan started building the suicide vest by himself, they added.

Talking about the methods adopted by Khan, top police officials told Hindustan that around a dozen youth were indoctrinated by Khan but all his efforts were brought to nought by the Delhi Police.

Khan, a former cosmetics shop owner, who goes by his alias Abu Yusuf Khan according to police, was allegedly riding a motorcycle from Dhaula Kuan towards Karol Bagh on Friday night, when he was arrested from the Ridge area in New Delhi on August 21.

Police said two “pressure cooker-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs)” were seized from him. The IEDs were loaded with around 12 kg of explosives. A pistol and a few bullets were also recovered from Khan.

Pramod Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (special cell), Delhi Police, had said on August 22 that Khan was acting at the behest of his ISIS handlers, who are based abroad, to carry out “lone wolf attacks” at places with a high footfall in the national capital.

On Sunday, the DCP said that a host of explosives and devices meant to be used for detonation have been recovered from Khan’s home in UP.

Source: Hindustan Times