Pakistan-backed terror conspiracy case: NIA carries out multiple raids at various locations in J&K

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) swooped on multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir early Tuesday as part of its investigation in a Pakistan-backed terror conspiracy case, an official said.

The searches at 12 locations continued till late evening, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The official said 11 of these locations were in Kashmir Valley -- eight in Pulwama district and one each in Kulgam, Anantnag and Budgam districts -- one was in Poonch district of Jammu region.

"The case was registered suo motu on June 21 last year to investigate a conspiracy, both physical and in cyberspace, and plans by proscribed terrorist organisations to execute violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.

"The plans are part of a larger conspiracy by the terrorist groups to commit terror acts in association with local youths/overground workers in order to create communal disharmony in J&K. The terrorist outfits involved in the conspiracy were identified as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, besides others,” the spokesperson said.

The official said searches were also being carried out in the premises of cadres and hybrid overground workers linked with the affiliates and offshoots of these organisations, operating under pseudo names such as The Resistance Front, United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir, Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind, Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers and People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF).

"Initial investigations indicated that these workers and cadres were involved in collection and distribution of sticky bombs or magnetic bombs, IEDs, cash, narcotics and small weapons. These weapons, bombs and narcotics were being pushed into the Indian soil by Pakistan-based handlers and commanders of proscribed terrorist organisations using drones...," the NIA said.

The spokesman said the agency had conducted searches in the terror conspiracy case at 14 locations in Jammu and Kashmir on June 24 last year.

"The searches, conducted then in the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag, Budgam and Kathua, had led to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices," the official said.

Officials said at least two persons, including a woman, were detained for questioning during the raids on Tuesday.

One person has been detained for questioning from Sozeith area of Srinagar, the officials said, identifying the detained person as Ishaq Ahmad Bhat.

"The NIA came early in the morning between 5.30 and 6 am. They asked for Ishaq and took him away along with his mobile phone. He works as a labourer," Mohammad Ramzan Bhat, the father of the suspect, told PTI.

"We have no links with militancy or stone pelting," he added.

Bilal Bhat, brother of the detained person, said Ishaq was illiterate and worked as a window glass fitter.

The detained woman was identified as Shahnaz Akhtar, a resident of Khaneter village of Poonch.