Al-Qaeda Cell Busted By Gujarat ATS; 4 Terror Suspects From 3 Cities Sent To 14-Day Remand
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested four suspected terrorists allegedly linked to the terror outfit Al-Qaeda. According to ATS DIG Sunil Joshi, two of the suspects were arrested in Gujarat, one in Delhi, and another in Noida. The arrested accused have been identified as Mohd Faiq from Delhi, Mohd Fardeen from Ahmedabad, Sefullah Kureshi from Modasa in Aravalli, and Zeeshan Ali from Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the ATS, the suspects were actively spreading Al-Qaeda’s ideology and had been operational for quite some time. Acting on a tip-off, Gujarat ATS launched an investigation and conducted a well-planned operation that led to the arrests. Confirming the arrests, Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi said all four suspects were under surveillance for activities suspected to be connected to AQIS, a proscribed terror outfit affiliated with Al Qaeda.
In a post on X, news agency ANI has posted the pictures of all the four terrorists with links to AQIS (Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent).
The suspects were reportedly using social media platforms to recruit people into their group and promote Al-Qaeda’s ideology. Following the intelligence tip, the ATS arrested four individuals.
What ATS Dig Said?
ATS DIG Sunil Joshi said that Gujarat ATS Dy SP Harsh Upadhyay received information on 10th June that there are 5 Instagram accounts which are propagating the ideologies of Al Qaeda in the country. He added that they were sharing their content on a religious basis, against democracy, against India.
"The input was shared with senior officials. A technical team was formed...Total 4 accused were identified. Of them, Fardeen Shaikh is r/o Ahmedabad, Mohd Faiq is r/o Delhi, Zeeshan Ali is r/o Noida and Saifullah Qureshi is r/o Modasa. All these 4 were monitored...It was found that not just their social media but also their physical movement is suspicious. A big team was formed...At the end of the operation, we were able to arrest all four suspects. We checked a lot of data on their phone," he said.
"They were disseminating a lot of content of Al Qaeda across India...A sword and Al Qaeda material were seized from Fardeen. They formed different groups on Instagram and promoted terrorist ideologies, they created content for the implementation of Shariat instead of democracy in India. Mohd Faiq was in contact with a few Pakistani Instagram accounts which provided him material for jihadi activities...We have invoked Sections 13, 18 , 38, 39 of UAPA and Sections 113, 152, 196 and 68 of BNS and registered FIR. Saifullah and Fardeen were produced before the Court today and they have sent to 14-day remand. The remaining two accused will be produced before Court tomorrow...We have recovered documents on Operation Sindoor from Fardeen. Also, the posts they made at that time on Operation Sindoor were anti-Indian Govt, pro-Pakistani and instigating material on religious basis..." DIG Joshi added further.
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