KANNUR: Six persons with suspected links to ISIS were arrested from Kannur and Kozikhode district in Kerala today by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The NIA arrested the six after receiving “credible information” that some youth from Kerala and Tamil Nadu were plotting terror attacks at important places across south lndia.

Acting on the information, the NIA teams along with Kerala Police, Delhi Police and Telangana Police, launched search operations to nab these conspirators.

During today’s searches in Kozikhode and Kannur in Kerala, 6 persons were arrested. Five of them were arrested from Kanakamala hilltop in Kannur district. While the sixth person was arrested from Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode district.

The probe agency also found incriminating material, including electronic devices during their raids.

Searches are also being conducted by the NIA in Chennai, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Kannur, Kozikhode and Mallapuram in Kerala.

The arrested persons have been identified as Manseed (30), Abu Basheer (29) Swalih Mohammed T (26), Safwan P (30) Jasim NK (25) and Ramshad Nageelan Kandiyil (24).

The investigation agency will produce the suspects before an NIA special court in Ernakulam to seek police custody for further examination.

The NIA has already registered a case in connection with the 21 missing youths from Kerala who are believed to have joined ISIS terror group in Afghanistan and later moved to Syria and some other countries.