In a recent anti-terrorism operation, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police has uncovered a sinister operation led by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) involving Indian fugitives Farhatullah Ghori and his son-in-law, Shahid Faisal. Shockingly, Ghori and Faisal were found to be radicalizing and recruiting Indian Muslim youths under the guise of the Islamic State.
Farhatullah Ghori, also known as Abu Sufiyan, and Shahid Faisal had fled to Pakistan following their involvement in the Akshardham terror attack of 2002. They have since been operating under the protection of Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI. A thorough investigation into Telegram accounts linked to the arrested suspects has revealed that Ghori and Faisal posed as foreign handlers and recruiters for the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, although it was, in reality, a module associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba.
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A source close to the investigation disclosed, “It was, in reality, a Lashkar-e-Taiba module, though the members believed they were working for the Islamic State.”
Further evidence of ISI involvement was found in the use of pipe bombs by the module members, a method previously associated with groups like SIMI, Kashmir-based organizations, and the Indian Mujahideen.
Special Commissioner of Police HGS Dhaliwal confirmed these findings and stated, “The Special Cell had been closely monitoring the activities of suspected ISIS operatives and their associates in Delhi. Credible intelligence indicated that ISI had created a false impression of an India-focused ISIS to conduct terror activities in India while evading international scrutiny.”
Another significant indicator of ISI’s role was the suspects’ involvement in “maal-e-ghanimat,” the collection of funds through criminal activities, which was an attempt to portray the module as a locally grown, self-radicalized network, according to Additional Commissioner Pramod Kushwaha.
Farhatullah Ghori, a fugitive based in Hyderabad, has strong ties to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. He has recently come under the radar of intelligence agencies for his active involvement in online radicalization. Sources reveal that he managed several Telegram channels, Facebook pages, and YouTube channels to lure youths into joining terrorist organizations.
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In October 2020, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs declared Ghori a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and an Interpol red-corner notice is pending against him. Ghori has been implicated in several terror cases in Gujarat and Hyderabad.
Recently, Ghori released a video statement featuring pictures of Indian Mujahideen terrorists, including those killed in the Batla House encounter. In these videos, Ghori can be seen coaching young individuals on the path to becoming terrorists, cautioning them against sharing information on social media and advising them to exercise caution when dealing with arms smugglers who may have connections to government agencies. He also urged jihadi brothers to keep their distance from recently released terrorist inmates, as these individuals are closely monitored by security agencies.
