56 Jamaat premises raided in terror-funding case in J&K

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted searches at 56 locations in 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a terror-funding case linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).

The agency said a team of senior officials, along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the J&K Police personnel, conducted simultaneous raids at 56 places, including houses and offices of JeI activists and office-bearers, in almost all districts of Kashmir and a few districts in the Jammu region, including Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri.

“Searches conducted today included the premises of office-bearers of the proscribed association, its members and also offices of trusts purportedly run by the JeI. During the searches today, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects,” a senior NIA official, part of the raiding team, said.

According to an order by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued in February 2019, the Centre had banned JeI for five years under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on the grounds that it was “in close touch” with militant outfits and was expected to “escalate secessionist movement” in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after banning the outfit, hundreds of activists were arrested in a major crackdown across the UT.

A senior NIA official said, “Members of the JeI have been collecting donations domestically and abroad and using these funds for violent and secessionist activities.”

He went on to add, “The funds raised by the JeI are also being channeled to proscribed terrorist outfits such as the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and others through a well organised network.”