2 Kashmir youths arrested in Jaish conspiracy case

Tribune News Service

Srinagar April 25

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested two Kashmiri youths in the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) conspiracy case for “waging a war” against the Central government and setting up bases in Delhi and other parts of the country.

Both youths were at the Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu facing the Public Safety Act (PSA) before they were taken into custody by the NIA.

“Today, the NIA arrested two members of the proscribed terrorist outfit JeM,” said NIA spokesperson Alok Mittal.

They have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Ganie (29) of Mandoora and Ahmad Mir (23) of Gadapora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Both were brought from the Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu, where they have been detained under the PSA and produced before the NIA Special Court today against a production warrant, he said.

The NIA court sent them into seven days’ custody. “During the investigation, it was found that an accused arrested earlier, Sajjad Ahmad Khan, was in regular contact with these accused over WhatsApp during the relevant period,” he said.

Sajjad was arrested by the Special Cell, Delhi Police, on March 21 and handed over to the NIA the next day on the charges of waging a war against the Centre and for hatching a criminal conspiracy by the top leadership of JeM based in Pakistan to strengthen the base of the outfit in India by recruiting persons for carrying out terrorist acts.

The NIA said Sajjad was specially sent to Delhi to set up hideouts in the NCR. “This was done to select specific targets and also to radicalise and recruit Muslim youths for terror activities,” Mittal said.