Aiming to turn nondescript match-sticks lethal, the four persons, arrested in Uttarakhand for their suspected links with ISIS, were allegedly collecting match boxes to make bombs with the explosives attached with the head of the sticks.
The suspects - Akhlaq ur-Rehman, Mohammed Osama, Mohammed Azim Shah and Mehroz - were under the radar of security agencies after their suspicious online activities were detected about a few months ago.
The youths used to regularly visit ISIS-supported websites, Facebook group and were in regular touch with some supporters of the terror group through WhatsApp, government officials said.
The suspects were in touch with motivators supposedly located in ISIS territory in Iraq-Syria, resulting in their coming under the surveillance of security agencies.
"The youths were arrested only when they were about to launch terror strike," an official said.
All the four youths were said to be graduate and well- versed with internet-related activities.
The youths were arrested by Delhi Police from Manglour in Uttarakhand for allegedly planning to target the ongoing Ardh Kumbh in Haridwar, particularly trains touching the holy town and some strategic locations in the national capital.
They were allegedly in contact with a former Indian Mujahideen operative who later went for training in Syria and is believed to be a key member of Ansar-ut Tawhid fi Bilad al-Hind (AuT) which has pledged allegiance to ISIS.
