NIA arrests two persons involved with Kashmiri terror group from Srinagar

NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir terror conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested two persons, involved with Kashmiri terror groups, from Srinagar.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mushaib Fayaz Baba alias Shoaib (20) and Hilal Yaqoob Deva alias Sethi Soab (35).

They belonged to the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir and were working for Pak-based Commanders and handlers of proscribed terrorist organizations, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and its shadow outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), among others.

The arrests came on the heels of a series of raids conducted by the NIA at the residential premises of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the banned terrorist organizations and their newly-floated offshoots and affiliates in recent days. Several digital devices were seized during the raids, which were scrutinized by the agency, as part of its investigations in the case.

NIA investigations have revealed that the two accused arrested today were in continuous contact with Pakistan-based Commanders and active members of various terrorist outfits through social media applications.

“They were working as OGWs of the terrorists, and had been actively involved in transporting weapons and funds from one place to another, on the directions of Pak based Commanders and handlers, as part of a bigger conspiracy,” said the NIA.

The conspiracy had been hatched by cadres and OGWs of various proscribed terrorist organizations in cohort with their Commanders based in Pakistan, said the anti-terror agency.

“These cadres and OGWs were actively involved in the collection and distribution of huge consignments of narcotics, cash, small arms and weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other types of IEDs, including remote-controlled sticky bombs magnetic bombs,” NIA added.

Such terrorist hardware and IEDs are either delivered over drones or also assembled locally, for terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, NIA investigations have revealed.

“The terror conspiracy was aimed at disturbing peace and communal harmony by carrying out terrorist acts and waging a war against the Government of India” said the agency.

As per NIA investigations, the terrorist outfits were involved in targeting of minorities, migrants and security personnel etc.

“The conspiracy had been hatched both physically and through cyberspace, by using secured encrypted social media apps,” added the NIA.