The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Tuesday arrested eight people, comprising seven who were from Gujarat and another from Madhya Pradesh, over their alleged involvement in creating a presence of banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the state and executing terror undertakings there.
The arrested persons were allegedly engaged in spreading the ideology of the banned group, recruitment in Gujarat, and establishing an active Jaish-e-Mohammed network by reaching out to people across the country via various platforms, the ATS said.
The gang had established an organisation called “Darul Islam Gujarat Jaish-e-Mohammed”, with links to two handlers, Abdullah and Mohammad Umar, who were living in Pakistan, investigators said.
The ATS accused, who have been arrested in connection with the offences against them, is said to have been paid about ₹3 lakh from the outfit for translating the Jaish-e-Mohammed literature from Urdu to Gujarati, which propagates its ideology. Some of the money was allegedly spent on an old car.
Following the searches, 254 digital files were found, such as the Jaish-e-Mohammed flag, speeches, photos, audio and video tapes of all, in fact, jihadi literature, from an encrypted mobile application.
It also recovered books written by JEM chief Masood Azhar that are believed to have been printed in Pakistan and Urdu letters asking for “membership” and Gujarati translations of JeM literature.
The probe is ongoing to try to find other people who were allegedly involved with the conspiracy.