New Delhi: Mohammed Azam one of persons charged with being ISIS terrorists was a fact unknown in the neighborhood of Delhi’s Chauhan Bangar’s Jafrabad where he lived.
When the NIA sleuths stormed at his place on Wednesday it was presumed to be an IT raid but later the truth was out, TOI reports.
Jafrabad’s lane no 24 was abuzz with the news of NIA storming at Azam’s house while many residents of the region refused to come out of their homes fearing summoning by the sleuths.
Mohammed Suhail and Rashid Zafar Raq including Azam were all charged with being ISIS.
While Suhail’s relatives insisted on him being a pious man he is suspected to be the mastermind of a foiled terror plot by sources.
Suhail’s Father Mohammad Hafiz Ahmed, who deals in inverters, claimed that the circuit boards Suhail had in his possession were for his hobby of designing new inverters.
“The NIA personnel didn’t ask us about these materials or the purpose for which we had them at home. In fact, one officer even assured us that my son would be released since no incriminating stuff was found on him,” Ahmed said.
“I want to know why they arrested him. If he is a terrorist punish him, but don’t frame him.”
While locals in the region said Suhail was never an extrovert. “He had friends but they didn’t look like people plotting a terror strike. Admittedly, however, outsiders kept visiting him since he is a mufti,” said Mohammad Zayad, a neighbour.
Azam’s father said, “The NIA sleuths questioned my son for nearly five hours before taking him and some books away. Our phones were also confiscated. Police returned later to inform us of his arrest.”
He added, “We need to speak to him to know what he has done. Police action cannot be arbitrary.”
While relatives of Zafar, who is a garments trader, said the NIA sleuths arrived saying they needed to question him. They arrested him after a few hours of grilling they said.
“How could he be a terrorist?” asked his mother Shehzada. “He has been running a successful business. Surely, someone has framed him.”
Families of Zubaid Malik and Zaid Malik did not speak to the journalists, though a relative disclosed they were detained and some documents taken. “We don’t know what these documents contained,” he said.