Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested eight alleged members of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for attempting to establish an active terror network in the state, officials said on Friday.

According to officials, two of those arrested are aged 18 and 19. Seven arrests were made in Gujarat and one in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, with the accused picked up from different districts during coordinated operations conducted on Thursday.

Police said the group was actively working to build a terror module in Gujarat and was operating on behalf of the banned organisation.

“Eight accused were arrested on Thursday from different districts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. They were members of banned terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed and working on behalf of it to set up an active terror network in Gujarat,” ATS officials said.

The accused have been identified as Ahmed Abdullah Gajiwala (19), Mudassir Abdullah Ghaziwala (22) and Ibrahim Mohammad Husen Ghagha (30) from Banaskantha, Zakariya Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha (21), Mufti Faujan Ismail Dauwa (40) and Mohammad Amin Shera (21) from Patan district, Mohammad Abdul Rahman Savdi (22) from Navsari district and Bilal Durani Mohammad Ammar Ghagha (18) from Madhya Pradesh.

Officials said a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including Section 13 (punishment for unlawful activities), Section 17 (funding terrorist acts), Section 18 (conspiracy), Section 38 (membership of a terrorist organisation) and Section 39 (support to a terrorist organisation).

Additional charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have also been applied, including Section 148 (conspiracy to commit offences punishable under Section 145) and Section 61 (criminal conspiracy). Authorities also invoked Section 147, which relates to waging war, attempting to wage war, or abetting the waging of war against the Government of India, officials added.


PTI