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UP ATS to take terror suspect to J-K, 2 other places to get info about his evil designs
Terror suspect Ahmad Raza, associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, has been granted 14 days custody remand to gather more information about his plans and intentions. He was in touch with a Pakistan-based handler and had received firearms training in Jammu and Kashmir. He was planning a terror activity and had been honey-trapped by a woman.
Terror suspect Ahmad Raza, 24, who was arrested by the U.P. Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday, will be taken to Jammu and Kashmir (J-K), U.P.’s Moradabad and Saharanpur districts to procure more information about his nefarious intentions and plans during his custody remand period of 14 days granted by a Lucknow court here on Friday, said senior police officials.
He was allegedly associated with terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and was in constant touch with a Pakistan-based handler and two Hizbul commanders. He allegedly got firearms training in two places in Jammu and Kashmir in 2022 and was planning some terror activity.
The ATS had claimed to have recovered several Jihadi videos, pictures of different arms and ammunition and its training modules from his mobile phone gallery. It was also claimed that he was honey-trapped by a Mumbai woman Ameena with whom he interacted over phone and was dragged into the terror network.
The officials said Ahmad Raza was arrested from his house in Guladiya village under Mudha Pandey police station limits of Moradabad district and brought to Lucknow to be produced before the ATS court in Lucknow on Friday. They said the court allowed his custody for further interrogation from Friday 2 pm to 6pm on August 17.
The ATS officials mentioned in the application submitted to the court that they had to take along the suspect to Moradabad to recover a pistol from him that he hid at a secret place in his village. They further said the suspect will also be taken to Jammu and Kashmir to discover the places where he stayed during his two visits for firearms training in Srinagar and Anantnag last year and recently during the Ramzan.
They said the suspect was in regular touch with a Pakistan-based handler and senior members of Hizbul Mujahideen in Pir Panjal range of Kashmir and was planning to go for advance militant training in Afghanistan (via Pakistan) to join the Tailban’s elite Badri commando unit.
The Taliban’s Badri 313 battalion is the unit of commandos with rigorous and specialised training and has been critical in the taking over of Afghanistan.
ADG, ATS, Naveen Arora had earlier said the suspect was deeply influenced by Jihadi ideology and organisations as well as the people associated with it. He had said that he had a firm belief that Jihadi organisations will uproot the Indian government and establish Sharia law in the country. He said that the suspect vowed to establish Sharia law in the country during his training period.
