29 November,2016 08:25 AM IST | | Agencies
In raids in several places in the city, three suspected al-Qaeda operatives were yesterday arrested by the National Investigation Agency, police said
Madurai: In raids in several places in the city, three suspected al-Qaeda operatives were yesterday arrested by the National Investigation Agency, police said.
Police said the three allegedly planned to attack 22 top leaders of the country including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were allegedly involved in threatening embassies of various countries in India, they said.
Those arrested were identified as M Khareem, Asif Sultan Mohammed and Abbas Ali, police said.
Explosive materials were also seized from them. Police said NIA raided several places on specific information that suspected Al-Qaeda activists were operating from South Tamil Nadu in and around Madurai.
"Explosive materials and arms have been seized from them," police said, declining to elaborate.
The trio was allegedly running the Al-Qaeda unit in South Tamil Nadu. They were also allegedly involved in the explosions that took place in various courts in the country over a period of time, police added.
NIA to prosecute Azhar
The Home Ministry has given sanction to NIA to file a charge sheet against Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and three others in the Pathankot terror strike carried out on January 2.
