Jaish terror module busted in Gujarat:ATS nabs 8 operatives in touch with Pak-based handler; received recruitment funds

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) nabbed a major terror module affiliated to the banned terror outfit Jaish e Mohamed (JeM), where 8 operatives were nabbed across Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. According to the ATS, the suspects were actively working to strengthen the organisation’s network in Gujarat. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, multiple ATS teams carried out coordinated raids leading to the arrests. All eight suspects are currently being interrogated. ATS interrogating eight suspects The arrested suspects have been identified as Ahmed Abdullah Ghaziwala, Ibrahim Mohammad Hussain Ghagha, Mudassir Abdullah Ghaziwala, Zakariya Durrani, Mufti Fauzan, Mohammad Amin Shera, Mohammad Abdul Rehman Savdi and Bilal Mohammad. Gujarat ATS DySP Harsh Upadhyay received intelligence of radical activities taking place in areas of North Gujarat such as Banaskantha and Patan. They were found to be affiliated with JeM, and were also propagating their module. Most of the accused were found to be from Bhagal village of Banaskantha. Three of them lived in Bhagal, three were in Khadiyasan, who lived in a Madrasa, the seventh accused was in Navsari’s Chikhli, and the eighth was also from Bhagad, who moved to Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. How ATS foiled terror outfit An ATS team intercepted the accused Ahmed and Ibrahim from the Mehsana – Ahmedabad Highway. Upon checking, the police nabbed their mobile phones. A lot of evidence was recovered from the devices. Details such as communication with their Pakistani handlers, giving them instructions, alongside several radical elements, details of people to be recruited, and propagation details were found. Notably, the duo also revealed the names of six other accused. Sensitive details found Upon interrogation, ATS found texts related to JeM, their English translation, and a flag of JeM was also made from their hands. Notably, they also received a funding of Rs 3 lakh from JeM, which was dead dropped at an unidentified location. They were directed by their handler to also buy a four-wheeler for transportation. The terrorists had set up a Gujarat faction called ‘Darool Islam Gujarat JeM’, a Tanzim (committee) to carry out local operations, which had these 8 members. ATS DIG Sunil Joshi shared that till now, they have not identified a target. They were in contact with a person named “Abdulla Sahab”. They also met a man who arrived from Kashmir a couple of months ago, and had a meeting in Vadodara a few months ago, where Ahmed and Ibrahim were involved. Banaskantha’s Bhagal village as epicenter The surrounding area of Banaskantha’s Bhagal village is identified as an epicenter. From the village, Ahmed and Ibrahim were found to be maternal uncle and nephew, Ahmed and Mudassir are brothers, the Duranis are brothers, while the Mufti caught in the case, had two others studying at his Madrasa. It was also found that all the eight accused were from Deobandi Tablighi Jamat. The group formed around four to six months ago, and only trustworthy individuals were recruited into their core group. ATS has seized mobile phones, objectionable literature, and letters from the accused. Police also found objectionable content of Masood Azhar, and his content influenced them a lot, shared DIG Joshi. The ATS has obtained a 14-day remand of the accused, and is probing their involvement in anti-national activities. A case has been registered against all 8 accused at under sections 13, 17, 18, 38, 39 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 and sections 148, 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Gujarat ATS anti-terror ops ATS has been actively pursuing radicalised elements, and has registered around 10 cases of UAPA, BNS, and IPC since 2023, in which 30 accused have been arrested. DIG Joshi shared that this is the 11th, such case, making the number of accused to 38 now.