Ricin terror plot: Arrested doctor surveyed markets, RSS office, say cops

One of the three men arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) last week, a doctor who was allegedly preparing ricin, a highly toxic substance, had allegedly carried out surveys of crowded locations across three cities to potentially target them with the poison.

According to the police, the doctor had surveyed Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi, Ahmedabad’s Naroda fruit market, and the RSS office in Lucknow over the past six months. These densely populated locations were allegedly being considered as potential targets.

The Hyderabad-based doctor, Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed (35), and two of his alleged accomplices, Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammed Suhail Mohammad Saleem, have been accused of plotting a large-scale terror attack using weapons and toxic chemical agents.

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Saiyed was allegedly exploring ways to weaponise ricin, a protein extracted from castor plant seeds, for use in the possible attack. The other two, from Uttar Pradesh, allegedly assisted Saiyed with reconnaissance and arms supply.

Ricin poisoning

Ricin poisoning is rare and usually occurs only when the seeds are ingested. While the toxin can be fatal in significant doses, experts note that criminal use is uncommon and the condition is typically treatable with prompt medical attention.

“To carry out a major terrorist attack, Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed had been preparing a highly lethal poison known as ‘Ryzin’ (Ricin). He had already begun research, obtained equipment and raw materials, and initiated the preliminary chemical processing needed for its production,” the Gujarat ATS said in an official statement on Monday (November 10).

Interstate joint operation

The ATS and central agencies are now examining seized materials and electronic evidence to trace the source of the chemicals and determine whether any experimental preparation of ricin had taken place.

The three men, two from Uttar Pradesh and one from Hyderabad, were arrested in a joint operation with central agencies. Preliminary questioning suggested that they were part of a larger ISIS-linked network with sleeper cells active across several states.

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Acting on a tip-off, an ATS team arrested Saiyed on November 7 near Adalaj in Gandhinagar, recovering two Glock pistols, a Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and four litres of castor oil.

Electronic data reveals shocking details

The ATS discovered that the three suspects had travelled to Gujarat to exchange weapons and finalise plans for forthcoming operations. During interrogation, Saiyed reportedly confessed to collecting a consignment of arms from a remote location in Kalol, Gandhinagar.

Investigations revealed that his associates, Sheikh and Saleem, had supplied him with weapons sourced from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. They were apprehended in Banaskantha district following leads obtained from digital evidence from Saiyed’s phone.

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Officials recovered three mobile phones and two laptops from the accused. Analysis of their call records suggested reconnaissance activities spanning nearly a year, the ATS said. While investigators have not yet uncovered evidence of a local sleeper cell, they are continuing to explore possible connections with national and international networks.

Suspects linked to ISIS?

Saiyed, who holds an MBBS degree from China, was reportedly in contact with the group's handler, Abu Khadija, a member of the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), the South and Central Asian branch of ISIS. He is also believed to have coordinated weapons deliveries across the Pakistan border using drones.

“Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed is a highly educated yet radicalised individual who had planned to raise funds and recruit members as part of a conspiracy to execute major terrorist activities,” Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi, told PTI. “He had already begun the initial process of making ricin using materials obtained for chemical synthesis,” the officer said.

Whether they are involved with the ISKP is a matter of investigation, he said, adding that the Gujarat ATS was investigating the case in different States. The accused have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and the Arms Act.

Saiyed has been remanded to ATS custody until November 17, while Sheikh and Saleem were presented before a court on Sunday for further proceedings.