NIA Charges Three in ISIS Bioterror Plot

Hyderaad:The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against three men linked to the proscribed ISIS organisation in a conspiracy to carry out mass poisoning in public spaces using ricin, a highly toxic biological agent.

The main accused, Hyderabad‑based Dr Syed Ahmed Mohiuddin, along with Azad and Mohammad Suhel from Uttar Pradesh, have been chargesheeted before the NIA special court in Ahmedabad under the UA (P) Act, BNS and Arms Act.

Investigators said the trio acted under the guidance of IS‑linked foreign handlers, recruiting vulnerable youth and planning to spread terror through prohibited weapons and bioterrorism. Mohiuddin, an MBBS graduate from China, allegedly converted his Hyderabad residence into a clandestine laboratory to prepare ricin from castor seeds.

The case was first registered by Gujarat ATS after Mohiuddin was arrested at a toll plaza in November 2025 with illegal weapons, four litres of castor oil and other incriminating material. Azad and Suhel were picked up the same day for transporting money and weapons through dead‑drop sites in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

NIA’s probe revealed that Suhel acted as a crucial link between handlers and co‑accused, coordinating recruitment, funds, weapons consignments and even preparing ISIS flags. The agency said Mohiuddin was promised the position of ISIS ‘Amir’ of South Asia by his handler.

The investigation in case RC‑01/2026/NIA/AMD is continuing to trace handlers and others involved in the conspiracy.