The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday arrested eight persons, including seven from Gujarat and one from Madhya Pradesh, for allegedly conspiring to establish a network of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and carry out terrorist activities in the state, officials said.

Eight men arrested by Gujarat ATS for alleged JeM recruitment, radicalisation

The Gujarat ATS issued a statement saying that the suspects were working to establish an active network of the outfit in Gujarat, recruit members and spread its ideology. They were contacting people across India through various mediums to radicalise them, carry out Dawat (inviting people to join the outfit) and establish an active JeM network in Gujarat, the statement added.

The ATS said the suspects had allegedly formed an organisation called “Darul Islam Gujarat Jaish-e-Mohammed” in Gujarat as part of the conspiracy. It alleged that they were in contact with Pakistan-based handlers identified as Abdullah and Mohammad Umar, translated Jaish-e-Mohammed literature from Urdu into Gujarati to propagate its ideology, and actively participated in a conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts in Gujarat.

The ATS added that the accused had allegedly received around ₹3 lakh for the conspiracy and used part of the money to purchase an old car that had not been transferred to their names.

During the searches, the ATS claimed to have recovered 254 digital files, including jihadi books, speeches, audio and video files, photographs and a Jaish-e-Mohammed flag from an encrypted application on one of the accused’s mobile phones. It also seized two books authored by Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar that were printed in Pakistan, eight Urdu letters addressed to Azhar purportedly seeking membership of the banned outfit, photographs of handwritten pages in Urdu, and Gujarati translations of JeM literature allegedly prepared by two of the accused.

The arrested include Ahmad Abdullah Gajivala alias Abu Ubaida (19) and Ibrahim Mohammad Husain Ghagha alias Abu Hamza (30), both from Nandasan in Mehsana. Mudassir Abdullah Gajivala alias Abu Aya (22) is from Bhagal in Palanpur, Banaskantha. Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha alias Ibn Ammar alias Zakariya Palanpuri (21), Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauva alias Mufti Saab (40), and Mohammad Amin Shera alias Amin Palanpuri (21) are all associated with Jamia Abul Hasan Madrasa at Khadiyasana in Siddhpur, Patan. Mohammad Abdul Rehman Savdi alias Mohammad Palanpuri alias Abu Unesa (22) is associated with Jamia Rahmaniya Khambhiya at Ambheta in Chikhli, Navsari. The eighth accused, Bilal Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha alias Abu Dujana alias Abu Sufiyan alias Abu Jundal alias Umarbin Khatab (18), is a resident of Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.

A case was registered against the eight accused under Section 13 (unlawful activities), Section 17 (raising funds for terrorist acts), Section 18 (conspiracy for terrorist acts), Section 38 (membership of a terrorist organisation) and Section 39 (support to a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, along with Sections 61 (criminal conspiracy) and 148 (concealing the design to commit certain offences) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.