NIA raids Jamaat-e-Islami residences in 14 J&K districts in terror funding case

In one of its biggest operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 45 locations in 14 districts of the Union Territory in connection with a terror funding case.

The NIA sleuths, assisted by J&K Police and CRPF, conducted raids at the residences of members of Jamaat-e-Islami, an outfit that was banned by the central government in 2019 due to its pro-Pakistan and pro-separatist leanings.

The NIA conducted the raids to check the resurgence of Jamaat-e-Islami activities in Jammu and Kashmir despite the ban.

A senior DIG and a team from Delhi had flown to Srinagar before the raids.

The raids were conducted in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipore, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and Rajouri districts.

According to sources, Jamaat-e-Islami was looking to fund terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen in J&K.

Some Jamaat members were routing money via Dubai and Turkey for funding terror activities with the help of Pakistan’s secret intelligence service ISI, sources said. The money was being routed in the name of charity, health and education, sources said.

Sources said Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to increase terrorist and stone-pelting activities in the Valley, which have declined after the abrogation of Article 370. The banned outfit also conducted a secret meeting to induct fresh members to terror outfits, sources said.

On July 31, the NIA raided 14 locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with cases related to the recovery of IED and the arrest of Lashkar-e-Mustafa top commander Hidayatullah Malik.

Source: India Today