Gujarat ATS foils Jaish-e-Mohammed 'expansion plan', 8 operatives arrested in massive crackdown

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested eight alleged operatives of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for allegedly attempting to establish an active network in the state and planning terror attacks in Gujarat and other parts of the country, officials said on Friday.According to the ATS, the accused were working on behalf of the Pakistan-based terror organisation to expand its presence in Gujarat by recruiting members, spreading extremist ideology and building a support network to facilitate future terror activities.The arrested have been identified as Ahmed Gajiwala alias Abu Ubaida (19), Ibrahim Ghagha (30), Mudassir Ghaziwala (22), Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha (21), Mufti Faujan Dauwa (40), Mohammad Amin Palanpuri (21), Mohammad Abdul Savdi (22) and Bilal Durani Ghagha (18).The accused are from Banaskantha, Patan and Navsari districts of Gujarat, and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. Three of them were associated with religious seminaries in Siddhpur and Chikhli, the ATS said.Investigators alleged that the group was attempting to build an organised JeM module in Gujarat by strengthening its operational network. The module is suspected to have been preparing to facilitate terrorist activities in Gujarat and elsewhere in India.

Following the arrests, the ATS registered an FIR on Thursday under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to waging war against the Government of India and criminal conspiracy.Further investigation is underway to trace the group's contacts, funding sources, recruitment efforts and any broader conspiracy linked to the alleged terror network.