The Counter-Intelligence wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday has detained 10 individuals for allegedly using encrypted messaging apps to plan, fund, and carry out terror activities on the instructions of handlers based in Pakistan. The detentions followed raids by the Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) team at several locations across four districts in the Kashmir Valley.
As per the police statement, the CIK unit carried out the searches in connection with a terror crimes investigation into an alleged sleeper cell and a recruitment module being managed by the commander Abdullah Ghazi of Jaish-e-Mohammed from across the border.
The raids were focused on one location in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, six locations in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal District, one in Srinagar, and two other locations in Budgam District.
Officials said that during the investigation, suspicious technical signals were detected at 10 locations across Budgam, Pulwama, Ganderbal, and Srinagar districts in Kashmir. The suspects were allegedly found using suspected encrypted messaging applications.
Further investigation revealed that several suspects were using a specific encrypted messaging app, commonly used by terrorists and their handlers from across the border to coordinate, fund, and carry out various terror-related activities, including recruitment into terrorist ranks, officials said.
"These individuals /users are suspected to be in touch with adversaries, including Abdullah Gazi, a Pak-based LeT/ JeM terrorist handler across the border," the officials said.
The Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) team carefully planned and carried out the searches to keep the element of surprise. These searches were part of an ongoing investigation into a terrorist recruitment and funding network linked to the JeM and LeT groups. Officials said this module was being run from a known city in Pakistan, confirmed through data accessed from the encrypted messaging app’s server.
They added that a terrorist commander or handler was in regular contact with the local Kashmiri youth and was trying to radicalise and recruit them into terror groups. The terrorist commander/handler was operating in close coordination with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, they said.
The officials said that a large number of documentary evidence and digital devices having bearing on the investigation of the case were seized during searches.
"So far, 10 suspects have been rounded up. Analysis of the data would follow and leads that would emerge would become the basis for further investigation," they added.
The officials further said the operation is primarily aimed at prevention and saving the lives and careers of local youth from falling prey to the designs of terror organisations.
"It is also aimed to uncover crucial evidence, curb illicit activities, prevent the misuse of communication devices such as mobile phones and dismantling the terror ecosystem in the UT by identifying terrorist associates/ Over Ground Workers (OGWs) supporting and abetting terrorism, and also ensuring legal action against them as envisaged by the law of the land," they added.
Follow us
