Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches in four districts of the Kashmir Valley in a case related to NGO terror funding.
In a statement, a spokesperson said that extensive raids were conducted at seven locations in Srinagar, Budgam, Kupwara and Pulwama districts, at the premises of trusts and individuals associated with Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), an NGO involved in raising funds for banned terrorist organisations.
The statement reads that raids were also conducted at locations associated with the NGO programme coordinator Khurram Parvej and his associate Irfan Mehraj.
“Both Parvez and Mehraj were arrested by the NIA in March this year after investigations revealed their role in raising funds for the JKCCS from various charities based abroad, and utilising these funds to foment trouble and terror in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent investigations revealed that the NGO and the two arrested accused were actively involved in instigating and funding stone-pelting in an organised manner in the Valley. They had been working with various banned terrorist organisations operating in Jammu & Kashmir,” it reads.
It reads that several digital devices and incriminating documents related to financial transactions were seized in today’s searches in the case (RC-37/2020/NIA/DLI) registered suo moto by the NIA on 8th October 2020.
It added that the case relates to activities of certain NGOs, trusts, societies and organisations involved in collecting funds domestically and abroad, and transferring the same to separatist and terrorist organisations to sustain terrorist and secessionist activities in Kashmir.
“NIA had earlier conducted searches at 23 locations in this case in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Bangalore,” it reads.
Meanwhile, the Counter Intelligence of Kashmir (CIK) Tuesday conducted searches in various districts of the valley, in which a number of suspects were detained and incriminating material was recovered.
The CIK said, “To save the Kashmiri youth from becoming the fodder of terrorism and to sabotage the nefarious designs of terrorist outfits, the sleuths of CIK on 01.08.2023 conducted searches in compliance to search warrant issued by the Court of Spl. Judge, designated under NIA Act, Srinagar (TADA/POTA Court) at Ganistan and Zoonipora in District Bandipora, Daangarpora in District Srinagar, Dachipora in District Shopian, Kanelwan Bijbehara, Sail, Bargam in Police District Awantipora and Drabgam, Ayengund and Karimabad in District Pulwama in connection with case FIR No.6/2023 u/s 153-A, 505,121 & 120-B IPC r/w 13 & 39 UA(P) Act”.
“During the searches, incriminating material, mobile phones along with SIMs, electronic gadgets and other articles having bearing on the investigation have been recovered and seized. A number of suspects have also been detained during the raid. Analysis of the data would follow and leads that would emerge during questioning of the suspects would become the basis for further investigation”.
The CIK further said “The case pertains to proscribed terrorist organization (s) operating within J&K and across the LOC on the behest of adversary agencies who under a well knit criminal conspiracy hatched with their Over Ground Workers/ supporters/ facilitators/ sympathizers in Kashmir valley are continuously in the process of creating new terror modules (gangs) wherein by misusing Social Media applications, youth(s) of Kashmir are lured by varied ways and means including instigation/provocation/incitement etc with the intention to make the youth indulge in unlawful and terrorist activities and also to join terrorist ranks for furthering the activities of terrorist organization(s) and thereby aid and facilitate recruitment of youth (s) in proscribed terrorist organizations.
Investigation revealed that one such JeM module is operating in Kashmir, the main conspirator of this JeM’s module has been identified as Musadiq @ Adnan @ Doctor based at Shakargrah, Pakistan. Other Pak based associates include Abdul Rehman, Riyaz, Umar @ Faizan @ Jigar and Waseem Noor. This module has its offshoots spread across J&K and this module under a well-knit criminal conspiracy hatched with Pakistan based active members of JeM (a proscribed terrorist organization) by using various Social Media Applications is creating and uploading criminal and malicious content laced with terrorist-secessionist tinge in order to motivate and radicalize the youth(s) of Kashmir to join the terrorist ranks of JeM, with the intention to further its terrorist activities. These individuals were being trained and groomed to become hybrid terrorists who on the directions from their commanders based in Pakistan were supposed to attack soft vulnerable targets in Kashmir valley”.
“Besides Terrorism, these elements through their Social Media handles promote feelings of enmity and disharmony among different religious and regional groups, and are provoking and inciting youth to indulge in large scale violence, disturbance and are causing disaffection and hatred among the public against the Union of India.
By active support of secessionists and terrorists sitting in Pakistan and in connivance with Pakistani ISI, the criminal content is uploaded, generated and circulated with the intention to flourish terrorism within the valley, disrupt the sovereignty and the integrity of the India, wage a war against India and to fulfil the larger objective of seceding UT of J&K from the Union of India”.
“The modules are in continuous touch with handlers / members of terrorist organization(s) across the border, amongst other modes of communication, it is learnt that encrypted internet messaging platforms, besides other software applications are being used.
It is pertinent to mention here that the investigation is aimed at dismantling the terror ecosystem in the UT by not only identifying Over Ground Workers (OGW’s) supporting and abetting terrorism but by ensuring legal action as envisaged by the law of the land”. (KNO/KINS)