Meet Ranchi's famous radiologist Dr Ishtiyaq Ahmed, man behind Al-Qaeda's terror module

New Delhi: In a significant counter-terrorism operation, a joint task force of the Delhi Police Special Cell, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Jharkhand, and police units from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh dismantled an al-Qaeda-inspired terror module operating across India. The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals in raids conducted at 17 locations nationwide. Among the apprehended was Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmed, a Ranchi-based radiologist who was reportedly the head of this terror outfit.

Who is Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmed?

Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmed, a well-educated radiologist holding MBBS and MD degrees, worked at a private clinic in Ranchi. Despite his medical career, Ahmed had allegedly been plotting to declare a 'khilafat' (Islamic caliphate) and orchestrate severe terrorist activities in India. According to intelligence sources, he had links with Abdul Rehman Katki, a key associate of Abdul Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Katki, who has been in Tihar Jail since his 2015 arrest for al-Qaeda ties, is believed to have influenced Ahmed's radicalization.

Ahmed headed the Al-Qaeda module

The terror module, headed by Ahmed, involved several individuals with varied backgrounds. Among those arrested were Motiur, Rizwan, Mufti Rahmatul lah, Faizan, Hasan, Enamul, Altaf Ansari, Arshad, Umar Farooq, and Shahbaz. These men received intensive training, including weapons handling, in secluded areas such as the jungles of the Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan.

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Authorities revealed that the module had planned several high-profile terrorist attacks in India. Their arrest marked a crucial step in dismantling the growing al-Qaeda influence in the country. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network and any further links to international terror outfits.