To dismantle terror network, NIA raids 15 locations in eight districts

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 20

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today said it had conducted raids at 15 locations in J&K in connection with its probe in two terror-related cases. The agency had registered these cases in 2021 and 2022.

Documents, digital devices seized

• Incriminating documents and digital devices have been seized and are being scrutinised to track further links of the suspects.
• The probe is related to two cases linked to members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami and overground workers involved in conspiracies.

In an official statement, the NIA said the crackdown was part of its efforts to dismantle terror support systems in the Union Territory. “Extensive searches were conducted in Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Awantipora, Anantnag and Kupwara districts in Kashmir and Poonch district in Jammu division,” it said.

The cases are related to members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and overground workers involved in conspiracies hatched by proscribed terrorist organisations and their affiliates.

The searches also focused on the terror-funding case registered suo motu by the agency on February 5, 2021, it said, adding that a large number of incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the searches and were being scrutinised to track further links of the suspects.

The terror-funding case pertains to the collection of funds by JeI (J&K) ostensibly for charitable purposes but used instead for promotion of terror activities by proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hizbul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba, the NIA said.

The agency had earlier filed a chargesheet against four persons in the case, involving well-organised cadres of the terrorist outfits operating in J&K. On June 21, 2022, the NIA had registered another case against various banned terror outfits and their newly floated affiliates.

“The cases related to the conspiracies being hatched by these outfits for carrying out terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, improvised explosive devices and small arms,” the NIA said.

Continuing with its investigations in both these cases, the official said the NIA had been moving swiftly to take action against some of the recently launched affiliates of the banned terrorist organisations, such as LeT, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

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