Mastermind Behind Al-Qaeda-Linked Module Arrested in Bengaluru, 4 Others Held by Gujarat ATS

New Delhi: A 30-year-old woman, Shama Parveen, has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly being the mastermind behind a terror module affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The arrest was carried out by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which claimed she was coordinating and operating the entire module from Karnataka.  

This development follows the recent busting of a terror module in Ahmedabad, where the Gujarat ATS arrested four individuals suspected of promoting AQIS ideology, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

According to an official release, the four arrested men were involved in circulating radical and provocative content on social media platforms. This included jihadi propaganda videos linked to AQIS, with the intent to undermine India's democratic system and establish 'sharia' or Islamic law through armed rebellion.

The investigation began after the ATS received a tip-off regarding Instagram accounts that were allegedly being used to spread AQIS's extremist ideology. These accounts were reportedly attempting to lure Muslim youth into joining radical outfits by sharing inflammatory content that incited violence and terrorism against Indian citizens.

This arrest follows a recent ATS crackdown in Ahmedabad, where four individuals were detained for disseminating AQIS ideology online. Acting on a tip‑off about several Instagram accounts promoting extremist content, officers monitored five handles and arrested:

• Mohammad Faiq, resident of Delhi
• Zeeshan Ali, from Noida, Uttar Pradesh
• Saifulla Qureshi, native of Modasa in Arvalli district
• Mohammad Fardeen Shaikh, based in Ahmedabad

The posts shared by the accused contained AQIS literature and calls for establishing sharia, among other radical messages that could incite communal unrest. One of the videos circulated by the accused featured Asim Umar, an Indian national who joined AQIS and was later killed in Afghanistan in 2019. 

Authorities believe the accused were working to radicalise youth, sow communal discord, and push forward a secessionist and terrorist agenda under the banner of establishing an ‘Islamic Khilafat’ or caliphate.