Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested four men for allegedly operating a social media module that promoted the ideology and propaganda of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a banned terrorist organisation, said officials. The arrests followed a statewide and inter-state operation carried out on July 21 and 22 based on intelligence inputs received last month.
The investigation identified four individuals: Fardeen Shaikh from Fatehwadi, Ahmedabad; Mohammad Faiq from Chandni Chowk, Delhi; Zeeshan Ali from Noida, Uttar Pradesh; and Sefullah Qureshi from Modasa in Gujarat.
Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi said that all four individuals had been under watch for suspected links to the terror outfit and that the operation to arrest them was done based on specific intelligence inputs and coordinated surveillance.
On June 10, Gujarat ATS received information about a group of Instagram accounts being used to circulate inflammatory content aimed at inciting violence and attracting youth toward terror organisations, said officials.
The accounts sharyat_ya_shahadat, f4rdeen_03, _mujahideen1, mujahideen.3, and sefullah_muja_hid313 were sharing videos of AQIS and promoting the ideology ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, they said.
“The accounts aimed to incite Indian Muslims to commit violence against non-believers, encourage rebellion against the government, and promote establishment of an Islamic Sharia-based Caliphate in India,” said an official.
ATS officials formed a team under superintendent of police K. Siddharth to identify the account operators. The team included officers from various ranks and conducted investigations to trace the users.
{{/usCountry}}ATS officials formed a team under superintendent of police K. Siddharth to identify the account operators. The team included officers from various ranks and conducted investigations to trace the users.
{{/usCountry}}Four teams were dispatched to these locations on July 21 and 22. The operation involved coordination with Delhi Police, Delhi Special Cell, UP ATS, and UP Police. All four suspects were detained and brought to the ATS office.
“During examination of recovered items, ATS found AQIS literature promoting jihad against India for Operation Sindoor and a sword from Fardeen Shaikh’s possession. A video on his mobile phone showed him waving the sword while chanting: “This was the only thing missing, now it’s complete. Allahu Akbar”,” said officials.
The mobile phones of all four accused contained content related to jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind, Kafir, and material promoting violence and terror attacks. The four individuals were found to have been operating together, using their respective accounts to amplify each other’s posts and reach a wider audience, according to officials.
The accused worked together to distribute propaganda material, jihadi content, videos, and incitement fatwas for rebellion like Ghazwa-e-Hind through Instagram. The activities targeted institutions of Indian governance. Mohammad Faiq collaborated with Pakistani Instagram accounts gujjar_sab.111 and M Salauddin Siddiqui 1360 to target Indian governance.
The investigation extended to 25 Instagram accounts and data from 62 accounts related to the case.
A case has been registered against the four under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), including sections 13 (unlawful activity), 18 (conspiracy), 38 (membership of a terrorist organisation), and 39 (support to a terrorist organisation). They have also been booked under sections 113 (promoting enmity), 152 (statements conducing to public mischief), 196 (conspiracy to commit offences against the state), and 61 (attempt) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).
Two of the accused have been remanded to 14 days in ATS custody. Legal proceedings against the other two are in progress, and further investigation is underway to identify additional persons involved in the network, said officials.
The arrest comes as a major development in India’s crackdown on terror activities, particularly after the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 people died, most of whom were tourists.