Gujarat ATS busts terror module linked to Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent; arrests 4 members

ATS officials said that the operation was based on an information received by its deputy superintendent which stated that five Instagram accounts were being used "to spread false and inflammatory statements against the nation.

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad on Wednesday arrested four persons for their alleged links to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a banned terror outfit.

"Terror module affiliated with AQIS has been busted by the Gujarat ATS. Four persons linked to the proscribed terror outfit have been arrested," ATS said in a statement. 

It said that these four individuals "worked together on Instagram to disseminate inflammatory and provocative content, including jihadi propaganda material, violent videos... In particular, the aim is to call for violence by targeting the institutions of Indian democratic governance."

Those arrested have been identified Mohd Faiq, resident of Meer Madari Galli, Faraskhana, Delhi, Mohd Fardeen, resident of Gulmohar Tenements, Fatehwadi, Ahmedabad, Sefullah Kureshi, resident of Khatakiwada, near BhoiWada, Vinayak Cinemas, Modasa and Zeeshan Ali, a resident of  Chhajarsi Colony, Sector 63, Noida.

They have been booked under sections 13, 18, 38, 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sections 113, 152, 196, 61 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.

ATS officials said that the operation was based on an information received by its deputy superintendent of police Harsh Upadhyay which stated that five Instagram accounts were being used "to spread false and inflammatory statements against the nation, attract local youth towards terrorist organisations and extremist ideologies, and promote unrest and terrorist activities.

"These accounts have been identified as 'sharyat-ya-shahadat," f4rdeen_03, mujahideen.3 and seffulah_muja_hid313, among others.

ATS said that through these accounts videos of banned terrorist outfit AQIS were being shared.

"They aimed to propagate AQIS' ideology under the name "Ghazwa-e-Hindi", incite Indian Muslims to commit violence or terrorists acts against non-believers, encourage armed rebellion against the democractically elected government of India, and promote the establishment of an Islamic Sharia-based Caliphate in India and has an ideology to spread discontent against India," ATS said in a statement.

From one of the suspects, Fardeen Shaikh, the ATS officials allegedly found AQIS literature promoting jihad against India for its "Operation Sindoor."

Another accused Mohd Faiq was allegedly found to be collaborating with a Pakistani Instagram user -- M Salauddin Siddiqui 1360 -- to target the Indian government.