Jaipur: The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has uncovered a significant cache of hidden digital material from the mobile phone of cleric Osama Umar, arrested earlier this month from Barmer for alleged links to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and suspected foreign funding.

3 lakh hidden photos, suspicious data retrieved

According to IG Vikas Kumar, forensic analysis of Umar’s mobile phone revealed over 3,00,000 hidden photos, numerous deleted files, and a large volume of suspicious digital content. Multiple ATS teams are now analysing the images, recovered data, and activity from Umar’s social media accounts.

Umar was detained on November 4 and arrested on November 6 following two days of intensive interrogation. He was produced in court on Saturday and later sent to jail. Officials confirmed that inquiries into possible foreign funding channels are also underway.

Planned to fly to Afghanistan for TTP terror training

Investigators found that the cleric had been in online contact with radical organisations for nearly four years, consistently consuming propaganda material of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. ATS officials revealed that Umar was allegedly preparing to leave India on November 8, intending to travel first to Dubai and then to Afghanistan to undergo jihad training at a TTP base camp.

The ATS detained him before he could leave the country. Several chats and messages in Urdu and Persian recovered from his device are now being scrutinised by language experts.

Meanwhile, authorities are also attempting to de-radicalise four individuals detained along with Umar.

Following the arrests—including Umar and a doctor from Malpura, Tonk—national intelligence agencies, ATS units, and state surveillance teams have intensified monitoring of suspects, particularly those active on social media.

The FSL report on Umar’s phone confirms nearly four years' worth of stored extremist content, including the large cache of hidden photos containing messages in Urdu, Arabic, and Persian. IANS