A suspected Al-Qaeda terrorist was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Karnataka’s Internal Security Division from Bengaluru on Saturday.
Arif, a software engineer by profession, was allegedly in touch with Al-Qaeda terrorists over a period of the last two years.
He was arrested in a joint operation with Karnataka ISD, a source in the NIA said in New Delhi.
As per sources, he came under the radar of security agencies when he dialled several terrorists in India and abroad and was also trying to contact other terrorists based out of India.
Arif was in touch with terrorists over the Internet for more than two years and wanted to fly to Iran and Afghanistan to join the notorious Islamic State (IS).
A resident of Uttar Pradesh, Arif has travelled to Syria – parts of which are currently under the administration of radical Islamic elements, and Iran, according to sources.
The agency has seized his electronic gazettes and is trying to find out with whom he was in touch and what he was planning.
He was being questioned by officials of the NIA and ISD, sources added.