It was in June last year, that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) swooped into Hyderabad's Old City area late into the night, to detain several youth, who were allegedly part of a terror module and had pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Following the arrest of eight people, a chargesheet was filed against them for entering into criminal conspiracy to wage war against the government of India.
The NIA claimed that they did this by collecting weapons and explosive materials to target public places including religious sites and sensitive government buildings in various parts of the country.
As the investigation continues, a New York Times report has come up with some more revelations on the case.
The report has stated that Ibrahim Yazdani, identified by the NIA as the commander of the module, was part of the Islamic State's plans to carry out a 'remote-controlled' attack.
A 'remote-controlled' attack, according to counter-terrorism language, is one which is executed by a terrorist with live instructions from a 'handler' situated in ISIS-occupied territory.
Reporting for NYT, Rukmini Callimachi states that the case of Yazdani presents one of the most detailed accounts till date, of how ISIS 'exports' its terrorism to other countries.
The report also quotes from Yazdani's interrogation record, on how he was lured by online propaganda, before he decided to 'fight for the cause', creating an id on Telegram Messenger, to stay in touch with his contacts in Syria.
The handlers also sent the growing module in Hyderabad several 'drops', which included a pistol and bullets, which were placed in a polythene bag, and hung from a tree opposite the Railway Divison Office near Nanded airport.
It also details how the handlers used only encrypted applications for every form of communication, and all communication went only through them.
The revelations come one month after the NIA arrested one more accused in the case.Mohammed Irfan, a resident of Mir Alam Mandi in the old city of Hyderabad, was produced before an NIA special court, which sent him to judicial custody.
(A file photo of the accused being presented in court. Image: PTI)
NIA said Irfan alias Abu Jafar was arrested for his role in the IS terror conspiracy module. According to the investigation agency, he along with the other accused took part in searching of hideouts and physical training.
Irfan allegedly collected the explosive precursors along with another accused from the outskirts of Pochampally village of Nalgonda district. He also went to Anantapur town of Andhra Pradesh to collect explosive material.
"Investigation has revealed that Irfan also took an oath of allegiance in favour of Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed Caliph of the ISIS, in the presence of accused Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani and Muzaffer Hussain Rizwan and he was given a kunya name, Abu Jafar by Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani," an NIA official said at the time.
IANS inputs