Terror funding case: NIA raids 18 locations in Jammu and Kashmir

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and arrested one person in a case related to suspect funding activities of Al Huda Educational Trust (AHET), Rajouri.

A spokesperson of the premier probe agency said the NIA sleuths conducted searches at 18 locations in Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region and Srinagar, Bandipora, Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts of Kashmir. “Mohammad Ameer Shamshi r/o Rajouri was arrested in the case related to criminal activities of AHET, Rajouri,” he said.

The spokesperson said the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) J&K, after being declared as an ‘unlawful association’ under UA (P) Act, has been continuing its activities through its frontal organisations.

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“One such organisation is AHET which has been found raising funds through various means, including donations, hawala etc purportedly for charitable purposes, but are instead using these funds to radicalise and incite the youth of J&K for unlawful activities and disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India. NIA had suo-moto registered the case on 03.09.2022,” he said.

The NIA investigations have revealed that the arrested accused Shamshi is the chairperson (Nizam-e-Alaa) of AHET and acts on the directions of the chief patron of the Trust.

“Investigations have also revealed that the ex-officio chief patron of AHET is the Ameer-e-Jamaat, JeI (J&K). The Trust has continued to raise funds even after the declaration of JeI as an ‘unlawful association’. Suspect links with other NGOs and trusts operating in Kashmir have also emerged during investigations,” the NIA statement said.

During the searches, several mobile devices and documents related to funding and properties have been seized.

Since early 2017, the NIA has been continuously carrying out raids in Kashmir in connection with alleged terror funding, fidayeen (suicide) attack cases and the agency has arrested and questioned dozens of people in the last more than four years.