Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Shabir Lone Arrested by Delhi Police

New Delhi: Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Shabir Ahmed Lone has been arrested by Delhi Police which claimed that he has links with a terror module unearthed in the national capital earlier.

The arrest comes after a February 23 crackdown, when Delhi Police's Special Cell, a specialised unit meant for dealing with terror-related cases, detained eight suspects linked to the same terror module.

According to the police, investigations have suggested that the group was allegedly operating under the direction of Lone, who had previously spent nearly a decade in jail on terrorism charges.

He was released on bail in 2019 but later fled to Bangladesh, according to the investigators.

Seizures and Operational Footprint Across Regions

Providing details of the arrest, Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha  told reporters here today that Lone was arrested from Ghazipur area in East Delhi last night.

He recalled that the police had last month spoken about a specific module in which eight individuals were apprehended -- seven Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian national.

Umar Farooq and Rabiyul Islam were the key figures, he said, adding subsequently, six individuals -- all Bangladeshi nationals -- were arrested in Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.

Shabir Ahmed Lone served as their handler, Kushwaha said.

According to the police, Lone was in direct contact with top Pakistan-based LeT commanders, including Hafeez Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, both accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Eight terror suspects arrested in Tamil Nadu and Bengal; Delhi Police to probe

Terror Plot and Investigation

The eight arrested suspects are currently being interrogated regarding their plans as the investigative agencies believe the module may have been preparing for a major terror attack.

Recruitment and Radicalisation Network

Delhi Police Sources indicate that Lone was tasked with recruiting and radicalising illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in India. He allegedly used local touts to arrange fake identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, to facilitate their stay and activities.

Investigators also claim that Lone played a key role in brainwashing the arrested individuals and pushing them towards extremist ideology. The accused were reportedly supplied with weapons and instructed to carry out attacks.