NEW DELHI: The NIA on Wednesday busted a suspected ISIS-inspired terror module following searches in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi, arresting at least 10 people allegedly planning to attack crowded places and political personalities, officials said.

The National Investigation Agency conducted searches across 17 locations in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi in connection with its probe into the new module called 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam'.

The module was in touch with foreign handlers, whose identity is yet to be established, National Investigation Agency (NIA) Inspector General Alok Mittal told reporters.

Mittal said searches were carried out in Delhi's Seelampur locality, UP's Lucknow, Amroha and Hapur districts where a huge quantity of explosives, a country-made rocket launcher, 100 mobiles and 135 SIM cards were recovered.

"Searches were carried out at 17 locations in Delhi and UP from where 16 suspects were detained and 10 of them were arrested," he said.

"The level of preparation showed they were planning to attacks in near Fidayeen attacks," Mittal added.

Five people were picked up from the western Uttar Pradesh district of Amroha following a joint operation with the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad, Inspector General ATS Asim Arun said in Lucknow. 

In connection with this case, the following accused persons have been arrested by NIA:

Mufti Mohd. Suhail of Amroha, worked as Mufti in a Madrasa at Hakim Mahtab Uddin Hashmi Road, UP and was presently staying at Jaffrabad, Delhi, and had tasked other team members to procure arms, explosives and other accessories to prepare IED’s and pipe-bombs. Anas Yunus, 24, was pursuing Civil Engineering at a University in,Noida, and was instrumental in procuring electrical items, alarm clocks & batteries.

Rashid Zafar Raq, 23 is into garments business and Sayeed, 28, has a welding shop in Amroha.

Raees Ahmad is the brother of Sayeed and has a welding shop at Amroha. The two brothers Saeed and Raees had procured huge quantity of explosive material/gun powder for preparing IED’s and pipe bombs and were instrumental in fabricating a rocket launcher to carry out terrorist attacks.

Zubair Malik, 20, is doing his B.A (3rd year) at a University in Delhi. His brother, Zaid Malik, 22, was also arrested. Both the brothers were part of the terror conspiracy and were instrumental in procuring batteries, connectors, SIM cards on fake documents and mobilising funds for buying bomb-making material.

Saqib Iftekar, 26, was working as Imam in Baksar, Uttar Pradesh and he helped the master-mind Mufti Mohd. Suhail in procuring weapons while Mohd. Irshad is an auto-rickshaw driver and was helping Mohd. Suhail in arranging a hide-out for keeping the material for making IED’s and bombs. Mohd. Azam, 35, runs a medical shop in Seelampur, Shahdara, Delhi and he too, helped the master-mind in arranging weapons.

Apart from these accused, some other suspects are being examined. The arrested accused would be produced before the NIA Special Court, Patiala Court House, New Delhi tomorrow.

The group was under NIA surveillance for some time following inputs of their suspicious activities, officials said.