ATS busts ‘Al Qaeda module members’ from Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh

According to the ATS, “These accounts have been actively promoting videos of banned terrorist organisation AQIS on Instagram and other social media platforms. They are inciting the followers of AQIS to carry out religious violence or terrorist attacks in the name of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ and are responsible for spreading discontent against India by promoting armed violence against the democratically elected government…”

A team was subsequently formed to identify the persons controlling these social media accounts and their associates, said the ATS.

Investigation revealed that Instagram handle ‘f4rdeen_03’ “was operated by Mohd Fardeen, s/o Mohd Raees, r/o Gulmohar Tenements, Fatehwadi in Ahmedabad”. Further, one ‘sharyat_ya_shahadat’ handle “was run by Mohd Faiq s/o Mohd Rizwan, r/o Meer Madari Galli, Faraskhana, Delhi”. Two other handles, ‘_mujahideen1’ and ‘mujahideen.3’ were controlled by “Zeeshan Ali s/o Asif Ali, r/o H. No. 77 Chhajrasi Colony, Sector 63, Noida”; while the handle ‘sefullah_muja_hid313’ was operated by “Sefullah Kureshi s/o Mahammed Rafik, r/o Khatakiwada, near Bhoi Wada, Vinayak Cinemas, Modasa, Aravalli, Gujarat”.

Four teams were formed and between July 21 and 22, these teams apprehended all four accused from Ahmedabad and Aravalli in Gujarat, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, with the assistance of central agencies, support from the Delhi Special Cell and Delhi Police, and the UP ATS and UP Police, said sources.

During a detailed on-site examination of the items recovered from the possession of the arrested persons, further details came to light, said a statement from the ATS. From Fardeen Shaikh, investigators found “AQIS literature promoting Jihad against India” for its recent Operation Sindoor and a sword. A video on his mobile phone showed him waving the sword while chanting: “This was the only thing missing, now it’s complete. Allahu Akbar.” Alleged instigative and inflammatory video content on the topics as well as content promoting religious violence or terrorist attacks were found on the Instagram accounts of the four accused.

The accused alleged coordinated on Instagram “to disseminate inflammatory and provocative content, including Iihadi propaganda material, violent videos, and incitement fatwas for armed rebellion like ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, to engage others in such activities,” said the ATS. The aim was to allegedly incite violence by targeting the institutions of Indian democratic governance.

Mohammad Faik was also found collaborating with Pakistani Instagram accounts ‘gujjar_sab.111’ and ‘M Salauddin Siddiqui 1360’. Based on the said evidence, the Gujarat ATS registered a case under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the four accused, and initiated legal proceedings. A local court also granted a 14-day police remand of all four. According to the ATS, as part of the investigation, information has been sought about 25 other Instagram accounts, adding that 62 accounts are also under the scanner. Further probe into the matter is underway.