Terror funding case: NIA raids 56 locations of banned J&K Jamaat

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday raided 56 places in 14 districts in Jammu and Kashmir following registration of an FIR against prominent members of the banned J&K Jamaat-e-Islami in the terror funding case, officials said.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency, along with the CRPF and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, carried out searches in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, and Rajouri districts.

The official said that the agency had registered a case on the orders of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on February 5 this year relating to separatist and secessionist activities of J&K JeI, an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, following its proscription on February 28, 2019.

Members of the organisation have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations, particularly in the form of "Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal" purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities, "but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities," the official said.

The official said that the funds raised by JeI are also being channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres.

"JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in disruptive secessionist activities," the official said.

The official said that the searches conducted on Sunday included the premises of office-bearers of the proscribed association, its members and also offices of trusts purportedly run by the JeI.

"During the searches, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects," the official said.

Reports here said the Falah-e-Aam trust, owned by the JeM and situated in Nowgam outskirts area of Srinagar has also been raided.

NIA sources said the focus of these raids is to probe the funding sources of the banned organisation.

The source said that searches are also being held at the premises of Gul Mohd War, a resident of Manigam Ganderbal and the district head of JeI, Abdul Hamid Bhat, a resident of Gamchipora Batweena, Zahoor Ahmad Reshi, a JeI member and former teacher now running a shop at Safapora, and the premises of Mehrajdin Reshi in Safapora.

Reshi is a former terrorist and now runs a shop.

The official, however, remained tight-lipped on sharing the names of other people whose premises were searched by the agency.

In recent days, the NIA has carried out searches at different locations in two separate cases and also arrested a few people.