Terror Suspects Remain Uncooperative As Investigation Continues

Siraj and Syed Sameer, who have been taken into seven-day police custody following a court order, on Friday are being questioned by Andhra Pradesh police along with officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) regarding their alleged terror plot involving explosive materials.

The trusted sources revealed that both accused are being held in separate rooms at the Vizianagaram Police Training College under tight security arrangements. However, the interrogation process allegedly has faced significant challenges due to their non-cooperative attitude.

According to reliable sources, Siraj is completely uncooperative with the investigation, and he reportedly told officials that if he had stayed for just four days more, he would have shown what he was capable of.

The NIA has been focusing particularly on uncovering the terror conspiracy aspects, attempting to gather evidence about which cities the suspects had targeted and their contacts within extremist networks. Despite being presented with evidence in police possession, Siraj has reportedly refused to answer questions about his plans to manufacture explosives or the specific nature of the bombs he intended to create.

The investigation has revealed that the suspects conducted reconnaissance operations across five major cities – Hyderabad, Vizianagaram, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.

Police have identified that Siraj maintained contact with an individual named Badar from Uttar Pradesh through the encrypted Signal messaging application. Additionally, investigators are actively searching for Farhan Moinuddin from Warangal, who is believed to be connected to the terror network.

The probe has uncovered potential international funding sources, with investigators examining financial assistance allegedly received from Oman and Saudi Arabia. The suspects' attendance at a religious function in Andheri on November 22, along with several other individuals including Adhan Qureshi, Dilhan, Mohsin Sheikh, Jasir alias Aman, Fahad, and Amir Ansari, is also under investigation.

Four special teams have been deployed to conduct search operations for the absconding suspects Badar and Farhan. The investigation has revealed links between Hyderabad and Warangal with pro-terrorist elements both within the country and abroad.

The two suspects have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosives Act, and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. While police initially sought a ten-day custody period, the Vizianagaram court granted a seven-day custody period with strict conditions following legal arguments.

The accused were transferred from Visakhapatnam Central Prison, where they had been lodged since May 18 on judicial remand, to the Police Training College for intensive interrogation.

Authorities are conducting an ongoing investigation into Siraj's social media accounts following a complex web of online interactions that began when Siraj countered MLA Raja Singh on social media.

An unidentified person contacted Siraj, praising his counter-response to the MLA while simultaneously advising Raja Singh to provide a stronger rebuttal. These conversations between Siraj and the mysterious individual continued for four days, during which the unknown person regularly issued orders for Siraj to counter not only Raja Singh but many other public figures as well.
The unidentified person, who maintained contact with Siraj through various social media platforms, allegedly claimed to be a revenue officer from the Visakhapatnam district. Officials have not yet commented on this, and the investigation is going on.