- Security agencies arrested 8 suspects linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed in Gujarat
- The suspects used digital platforms to radicalise youth and translate Urdu texts
- Encrypted app Nord Locker held 254 extremist items including speeches and flags
Security agencies have exposed a dangerous recruitment strategy following the breakthrough arrest of 8 people by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad. The investigation revealed that the suspects were actively using digital platforms and social media to radicalise regional youth and strengthen the footprint of the banned terrorist organisation, Jaish-e-Mohammed, in Gujarat.
To maximise the propagation and dissemination of the outfit's extremist ideology, the operatives were systematically translating radical literature from Urdu into the local Gujarati language.
The background of the operation traces back to actionable intelligence received by Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsh Upadhyay of the Gujarat ATS. Through digital surveillance, technical monitoring, and human intelligence, the team successfully tracked the group's underground recruitment drive.
The new dimension established in this case is the discovery of localised translation workflows and highly secure digital storage methods used by the module. During the raids, the ATS found an online application, named Nord Locker, on the mobile phone of Ibrahim Mohammad Husain Ghagha. This encrypted vault contained 254 pieces of literature, including Jihadi books, speeches, audio tracks, videos, photographs, and the flag of Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Also read: 'Digital Propaganda On App': How Jaish Planned To Spread Terror In Gujarat
Operatives Ibrahim Ghagha and Zakariya had specifically translated portions of the book Dars-e-Jihad, written by Jaish chief Masood Azhar, into Gujarati to reach local targets.
The module relied on local educational centres, specifically madrasas in Patan and Navsari, to run their online recruitment campaigns and translate materials away from public scrutiny. The arrested members operating from these locations include Zakariya Durani, Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauva, and Mohammad Amin Shera from the Jamia Abul Hasan Madrasa, as well as Mohammad Abdul Rehman Savdi from Jamia Rahmaniya. The remaining suspects are Ahmad Abdullah Gajivala, Ibrahim Ghagha, Mudassir Gajivala and Bilal Durani Ghagha.
ATS DIG Sunil Joshi confirmed that the group was working under the direct guidance of Pakistan-based handlers named Abdullah and Mohammad Umar. The financial trail showed that the group received 3 Lakhs in funding, which was used to buy an old second-hand car that was left untransferred to evade routine tracking. The Gujarat ATS has booked all eight accused under multiple sections of the UAPA and the BNS as intense interrogations continue to map the network.
