NIA Charges Trio in ISIS-linked Bioterrorism Conspiracy

The National Investigation Agency has chargesheeted three individuals, including a doctor, in a case involving an ISIS-related plan to conduct mass poisoning with ricin. The accused were operating under the guidance of ISIS-linked handlers abroad, aiming to recruit individuals for jihad. The case initially began with the Gujarat ATS in 2025.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally filed a chargesheet against three individuals, including a doctor, for their alleged involvement in an ISIS-affiliated plot intended to execute mass poisoning in public spaces using a deadly biological toxin.

The primary accused, Dr. Syed Ahmed Mohiuddin from Hyderabad, alongside Azad and Mohammad Suhel from Uttar Pradesh, were chargesheeted in a special NIA court in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. According to an official statement, the trio worked under the direction of foreign-based handlers linked to the Islamic State, attempting to radicalize youth and provoke terror with prohibited bioweapons.

The investigation began with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) following Dr. Mohiuddin's arrest, who was intercepted with illegal arms and substances in November 2025. Azad and Suhel were discovered to facilitate cash and weapons transfers as part of the plan. The NIA, who took over the case in January 2026, revealed plans to appoint Mohiuddin as ISIS's South Asia head and confirmed his Hyderabad residence was used to manufacture ricin.