Sat May 17 06:02:23 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended two fugitives, Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh and Talha Khan, at Mumbai airport as they attempted to re-enter India from Jakarta, Indonesia. The duo were wanted in connection with a 2023 case involving the fabrication and testing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra, and are allegedly part of an ISIS sleeper cell. They had been on the run for over two years and are accused of participating in a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist acts aimed at destabilizing India and establishing Islamic rule through violence. The NIA had offered a reward of ₹3 lakh each for information leading to their arrest.
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**News Article:**

**ISIS Sleeper Cell Members Arrested at Mumbai Airport After Two Years on the Run**

**Mumbai, May 17, 2025** – In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two absconding members of an alleged Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sleeper cell at Mumbai’s International Airport. Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh, also known as Diaperwala, and Talha Khan were apprehended as they arrived from Jakarta, Indonesia, late Friday night.

The two men were wanted in connection to a 2023 case concerning the fabrication and testing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra. NIA officials stated that the suspects had been evading authorities for over two years and had non-bailable warrants issued against them by the NIA Special Court in Mumbai. The agency had also offered a reward of ₹3 lakh for information leading to their capture.

According to the NIA, Shaikh and Khan are accused of conspiring with eight other individuals already in custody to commit terrorist acts aimed at disrupting peace and communal harmony in India. They allegedly sought to wage war against the Indian government to establish Islamic rule through violence, aligning with ISIS’s agenda.

The investigation revealed that the two men were allegedly involved in assembling IEDs at a residence rented by Shaikh in Kondhwa, Pune, between 2022 and 2023. They are also accused of organizing and participating in a bomb-making workshop and conducting a controlled explosion to test one of their fabricated IEDs.

The NIA has been actively investigating ISIS activities in India and has already filed charges against all ten individuals involved in the case under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

The arrests mark a significant step in disrupting ISIS’s operations in India.

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