Amaravati, March 25 (H.S.): Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested 12 persons with alleged links to extremist organisations following a coordinated multi-state operation, officials said on Wednesday.

According to police, special teams were deployed across Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana and Rajasthan as part of the operation.

An intelligence official said three of those arrested from Andhra Pradesh were identified as Mohammad Rahmatullah Shareef, Mirza Sohail Beg and Mohammad Danish, all residents of Vijayawada.

Police said the trio was allegedly involved in promoting extremist ideology and coordinating activities linked to banned terrorist organisations. They were reportedly in contact with foreign handlers associated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Investigations revealed that the accused had allegedly formed a group called “Al Malik Islamic Youth” to radicalise youth and expand their network. The Counter Intelligence Cell found that they were allegedly acting on instructions from foreign handlers and attempting to spread extremist propaganda through social media platforms.

Preliminary findings suggest that Rahmatullah, a bike taxi driver, along with Danish, a laser marking professional, and Sohail Beg, a restaurant worker, were allegedly using online platforms to circulate radical content and recruit youth.

Police said the accused were also allegedly planning to travel abroad for training and were attempting to expand their network across different states.

Further investigation is underway to identify additional links and prevent expansion of such networks.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar