SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Saturday conducted extensive raids at multiple locations in nine districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Extensive searches were conducted in Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Awantipora, Anantnag, Handwara, Kupwara and Poonch districts relating to members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and overground workers involved in conspiracies hatched by proscribed militant organisations and their affiliates. NIA’s searches also focused on the J&K Militant Funding Case, registered suo moto by the agency on 5th February 2021”, reads a statement issued to GNS.

“A large number of incriminating documents and digital devices with incriminating contents have been seized during these searches and are being scrutinized to track further links of the suspects.”

“The militancy funding case pertains to the collection of funds by JeI (J&K) ostensibly for charitable purposes but has been using them instead for promotion of militant activities by proscribed militant organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) etc. NIA had earlier chargesheeted four persons in the case, involving well-organised cadres of the terrorist outfits operating in J&K”, reads the statement.

“The NIA had, on 21st June 2022, registered another case against the various banned militant organisations and their newly floated affiliates. The case related to the conspiracies being hatched physically and in cyberspace by these outfits for carrying out violent militant attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms etc. The banned organisations and their affiliates have been engaged in conspiring to commit acts of militancy and violence by radicalizing local youth and mobilizing overground workers with the aim of disrupting the peace and communal harmony of J&K.”

“Continuing with its investigations in both these cases, NIA has been moving swiftly to take action against some of the recently launched affiliates of the banned militant organisations, such as LeT, HUM, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, etc. Among the affiliates under NIA scrutiny are The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF”, reads the statement.

“NIA investigations so far have shown that cadres and workers of these outfits are involved in collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, funds, drugs and weapons & ammunition, as well as in spreading activities relating to militancy, violence and subversion in J&K”, reads the statement further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: National Investigation Agency on thursday said that it carried Searches at 16 locations across J&K in connection with Jamaat-e-Islami militant funding case.
 
In a handout to GNS, the NIA said that as part of its continuing crackdown on militant funding in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at multiple locations in a case related to separatist and secessionist activities of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).
 
According to spokesman, JEI has been found carrying out militant funding activities in Jammu and Kashmir, even after being declared an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act on 28th February 2019. NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case (RC-03/2021/NIA/DLI) in Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi, on 12th May 2022 against four accused. It had earlier registered a suo motu case in the matter on 5th February 2021.
 
The searches were conducted today at the premises of JeI (J&K) members and supporters, at 16 locations, including 11 in District Baramulla in Kashmir valley and the remaining 5 located in District Kishtwar in Jammu region. Several incriminating materials and digital devices were seized during the searches and were being examined for more clues in the case, he said.
 
NIA investigations so far have revealed that JeI (J&K) members had been collecting funds domestically and from abroad through donations, particularly in the form of zakat, mowda and bait-ul-mal, as well as for purported charitable purposes, such as promotion of education and health. The funds were, instead, being used for violent and secessionist activities in J&K. They were also being channelled to proscribed militant organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres, he said.
 
Further, as per the investigations, JeI was also engaged in motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K for carrying out violent, disruptive and secessionist activities, he said.
 
Previous investigations by the NIA had revealed that one of the four arrested accused, identified as Javaid Ahmad Lone, had been soliciting funds and organising meetings in the name of JeI, J&K. He had been delivering hateful anti-India speeches and exhorting people to make donations at these meetings. Along with Aadil Ahmad Lone, he had also acquired firearms and ammunition with ulterior motives from the other two accused, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Dar and Rameez Ahmad Kondu, reads the statement. (GNS)