Jamshedpur, Aug. 10: A former resident of Mango has been arrested in Saudi Arabia for his suspected links with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), the newest branch of the banned terror outfit.

Syed Mohammed Zishan Ali (34), who used to live at West Zakirnagar under Mango thana, was rounded up from Saudi capital Riyadh yesterday by a special cell of Delhi police's anti-terror unit. He is the third suspected AQIS operative with a base in the steel city to be arrested.

Zishan's father Syed R. Haider Ali, a former employee of Tata Steel subsidiary Tisco Growth Shop, said he was aware of his son's arrest. "My lawyer informed me last night. As far as I know, Zishan is innocent. He left home for West Asia in search of a job nine years ago. He hasn't returned since," the 68-year-old man said.

Haider Ali admitted that police and investigating agencies were coming to question him regularly about his sons - both Zishan and his elder brother, Syed Mohammad Arshiyan. "They had come today too. I will not say anything else without consulting my lawyer," the father added.

Confirming the arrest of Zishan in Saudi Arabia, a senior officer of the Jharkhand anti-terror squad (ATS) said he was the third AQIS suspect with an address in Jamshedpur.

On January 19 last year, Masood Ahmed (38) - a resident of Dhatkidih in Bistupur - was arrested from his home by Jharkhand ATS. Earlier, on December 17, 2015, Abdul Sami (32), also a native of Dhatkidih, was nabbed by Delhi police from Haryana.

"Now, a special cell of Delhi police has arrested Zishan. He has been brought to the national capital and is being interrogated. We are in touch with Delhi police," said the Jharkhand ATS officer, adding that elder brother Arshiyan was also wanted for his suspected links with international terror outfits.

DSP Ajay Kerketta, who looks after the law and order situation in Azadnagar and Zakirnagar areas of Mango, said they were closely monitoring the case.