The Anti-terrorism squad’s (ATS’) probe related to the detection of an ISIS module in Parbhani in July this year revealed that one of its key operatives, Naserbin Abubakar Yafai alias Chaus, had allegedly made preparations to visit Syria and had therefore renewed his expired passport in June.
In July, Yafai also allegedly bought chemicals required to make improvised explosive devices and was set to receive a pistol arranged for by his main Syria-based ISIS handler, ‘Farook’, who is on the run, for carrying out terror attacks. According to the ATS’ chargesheet submitted against the module’s four members, including Yafai, the latter had allegedly spent a lot of time on the Internet searching for material related to ISIS and his suspicious activities triggered the ATS to conduct a discreet inquiry, which revealed that he was in touch with members of the terrorist group in Syria. Further discreet inquiry also revealed that he was preparing to commit unlawful activities and that he had revalidated his expired passport in June 2016 to travel to Syria and Iraq to get involved in ISIS activities. After getting his passport renewed, he purchased the bomb-making components in July.
The ATS has also claimed in the chargesheet that the accused used his uncle’s property to assemble IEDs when the latter had gone for Umrah in Makkah. According to the uncle’s statement, he was going for Umrah in May and two days before he left for Saudi Arabia, Yafai had come to him and taken the key to his property with the assurance that he would show this property to potential buyers in his absence. However, after his arrest, the ATS searched the said property and seized some material from there and informed the uncle that Yafai had used this place to assemble bombs.
