In a major breakthrough, the Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence Cell (CI Cell) has thwarted what could have been a devastating series of terror attacks planned by a radicalized youth from Vizianagaram. Siraj Ur Rehman, a B.Tech graduate with a mechanical engineering background, was arrested before he could carry out trial bombings intended to raise funds for larger-scale attacks across India.
Investigations revealed that Siraj had founded an extremist outfit named Al-Hind Ittehadul Muslimeen (AHI) under the banner of Ghazwa-e-Hind—a chilling concept of waging ideological war against India. His plan involved executing controlled trial blasts in the Telugu states and sharing the videos with international handlers to gain financial and logistical support.
Authorities say Siraj built a nationwide network through encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Telegram. He maintained contact with over 50 radicalized individuals across states including Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. He had also reportedly established AHI committees in Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu to recruit more operatives.
Critically, Siraj was in touch with foreign-based radicals—Abuthalem Elias Abu Masoob in Pakistan and Masoob Ali Khan Sheikh in Afghanistan—who promised him funding, weapons (via Nepal’s porous border), and technical know-how for bomb-making. These handlers supplied manuals on how to manufacture IEDs and plan coordinated attacks. In response, Siraj sourced materials and began building test devices using ball bearings to maximize casualties.
Police sources confirmed that Siraj, along with co-conspirator Syed Sameer from Secunderabad, had already identified test locations across Brahmapur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and even Hyderabad. Their plan was to first detonate explosives in forested regions and gradually move toward crowded urban centers.
Siraj’s radicalization reportedly began in his school days, influenced by a preacher named Maulana Faziah Khan in Vizianagaram. While appearing to pursue a conventional life—preparing for government exams—Siraj was secretly working to build an extremist network. His anger, fueled by personal events involving interfaith relationships, reportedly intensified his commitment to his cause. He rallied others online under the pretense of fighting what he called the “Bhagwa Love Trap” and gradually transformed these campaigns into extremist activities under the AHI banner.
Despite being granted bail in a separate case involving the illegal detention of actress Kadambari Jethwani, Siraj remains in judicial custody for the APPSC exam scam and now faces new charges under anti-terrorism laws.
Authorities credit the CI Cell’s year-long surveillance for preventing what could have been catastrophic attacks. “Had we not acted when we did, the consequences could have been unimaginable,” said a senior official. The case underscores the growing challenges of homegrown extremism and the crucial role of counter-intelligence in safeguarding national security.
