'ISIS', 'Jihad', 'Gaza': Maharashtra ATS Recovers Chilling 'Lone Wolf' Note From Mira Road Attacker’s House

New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough, handwritten notes recovered from 31-year-old Jaib Zubair Ansari have emerged as central evidence in the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad’s (ATS) investigation into the April 27 stabbing of two security guards near Asmita Grand Mansion in Mira Road's Naya Nagar. 

The documents, which detail Ansari's explicit desire to join ISIS, provide a chilling look into the motives behind the violent assault.

Ansari was arrested within 90 minutes after launching a brutal attack on two security guards. Eyewitnesses claim that the accused first asked the guards for directions and then returned to ask their religion. It is also claimed that the accused forced one of the guards to recite the Islamic Kalma and, when he failed, the accused attacked them with a sharp-edged weapon. The injured guards are currently hospitalised.

Chilling notes recovered

When police searched Ansari's home after his arrest, the investigation team found handwritten notes in which he expressed his desire to join ISIS. According to sources, in these notes, the accused described the attack as his "first step" towards joining a terrorist organisation, according to Maharashtra ATS.

He had also written "Lone Wolf," "Jihad," and "Gaza" in a note recovered from his house, as per sources.

The recovery of the note has revealed chilling threats, including one sentence that reads: "LONE WOLVES WILL POUNCE ON YOU. You mushrikeen will see real jihad in Bilad Hind from now!"

Additionally, some incoherent remarks were written, such as: "People, family, wives, parents... will leave you. May Allah guide them. Gaza will only be free by..."

The ATS is currently examining this note.

Who was Ansari?

The Maharashtra ATC also said that investigations revealed that the accused, Ansari, was a science graduate and had lived in the United States for several years. Unable to find a job in the US, he returned to India and lived alone in Mira Road, providing online chemistry coaching. 

It is believed that during his isolation, the accused became radicalised through the internet. 

The ATS is now conducting a thorough forensic examination of Ansari's mobile phone and laptop to trace his digital footprint. A key objective of the probe is to determine if he was in direct contact with any handlers across the border or if he was operating entirely as a self-radicalized "lone wolf."

What CM Fadnavis said

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Tuesday that the suspect in the Mira Road stabbing case appears to have undergone ‘self-radicalisation,’ driven by exposure to extremist literature and online material.

Discussing the ongoing probe, Fadnavis noted that early evidence indicates the accused was motivated by jihadist ideology and specifically chose his victim based on their religious identity.

“Overall, it seems to be a case of self-radicalisation. Through books, literature and the internet, the accused radicalised himself,” the Chief Minister said, further explaining that the assault was intentionally aimed at individuals from a different community.

Fadnavis confirmed that both the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are now collaborating on the case to uncover any broader connections or similar instances of radicalization.

“Who all are behind this radicalisation, what links exist, and whether others have been radicalised in the same way will be brought out during the probe,” he stated.

According to the Chief Minister, the suspect had previously lived overseas, and while his family remains in the United States, he returned to India. After a period in Kurla, he relocated to Nayanagar, the site of the attack. Authorities are currently scrutinizing his past movements, digital activity, and personal contacts to establish if he operated as a lone wolf or was part of a wider network.

Earlier Incidents

This arrest follows a string of recent operations by the Maharashtra ATS aimed at dismantling ‘extremist’ networks. 

On March 2, raids were conducted in Mumbai’s Kurla, Shivaji Nagar, and Govandi areas following reports of youth being in contact with banned organizations. Additionally, on February 15, the agency carried out coordinated raids across 21 locations in Ahilyanagar and Yavatmal districts to counter radicalization efforts across the state.

Also Read: Mira Road Shocker: US-Returned Man Stabs 2 Security Guards Over ‘Kalma’ Refusal; ATS Probes ‘Lone Wolf’ Terror Angle