Terror recruitment cases: 10 locations in 3 districts of Kashmir were attacked

SRINAGAR: The Counter Intelligence Investigation Branch (CIK) of J&K Police in Kashmir on Thursday raided 10 locations in three districts of Kashmir. Kashmir Valley and dismantled a “terrorist recruitment module” allegedly linked to handlers across the region control line The network is located in Bangladesh (LoC) and one network is located in Bangladesh, the CIK statement said.Searches were conducted in Srinagar, Ganderbal and Shopian areas on the basis of a search warrant issued by the Special Judge, NIA, Srinagar. Items seized included “criminal material including digital devices, SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops and other documents” relevant to the investigation, the statement said. The CIK police station registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.CIK said Bangladeshi Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Shabir Ahmad Lone had been operating the module. Lone, a native of Kangan in Ganderbal, used several aliases for business, including Raju and Zafar Saddique. The statement said Long was a “highly radicalized and well-trained” commander who “underwent structured weapons training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir” and initially served as a ground worker for the terror group in the late 1990s before joining Lashkar-e-Taiba in the early 2000s.“He later infiltrated into India via the Bangladesh border and continued to be actively involved in terror-related activities, including plotting to carry out high-profile attacks,” CIK said, adding that Long later fled to Bangladesh where he had been “operating and coordinating terrorist recruitment and network expansion”.CIK said the investigation further revealed that Lone maintained close ties with senior leadership of proscribed terror groups and played a key role in reviving cross-border terror groups. The statement said he continues to conduct direct operations in Bangladesh “through a network of associates and ground operatives” and is a “most wanted terrorist operating on foreign soil.”CIK had earlier said it arrested one of Lone’s close associates, Irfan Ahmad Wani (45) from Heerpura in Shopian. Wani has been in contact with Lorne and other terrorists based in Pakistan and Afghanistan through encrypted messaging platforms. “He is actively involved in facilitating recruitment, radicalization and logistical support at the local level,” CIK said.