Terror funding case: NIA raids at 56 places of banned J&K Jamaat members

The NIA carried out multiple raids against Jamaat-e-Islami linked members across J&K over two years after the religious group was banned by the Centre under anti-terror laws, officials said.

The National Investigation Agency on Sunday carried out multiple raids against Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) linked members across Jammu and Kashmir, over two years after the religious group was banned by the Centre under anti-terror laws, officials said.

The joint raids by the NIA along with the police and CRPF were conducted at 56 locations in all the 10 districts of Kashmir and four districts of Jammu province -- Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri -- in a case related to the terror funding, a spokesperson of the NIA said.

"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, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects," the spokesperson said.

In February 2019, the Centre banned the JeI for five years under anti-terror laws on the ground that it was "in close touch" with militant outfits and was expected to "escalate secessionist movement" in the erstwhile state.

A notification banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hundreds of JeI activists were arrested in a major crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the ban, which came just months ahead of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into Union territories in August 2019.

"A case was registered by the NIA on February 5, 2021 in pursuance to order from the Ministry of Home Affairs relating to separatist and secessionist activities of JeI, an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act, even after its proscription on February 28, 2019," the spokesperson said.

The NIA said the members of the organisation have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations, particularly in the form of 'Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal', purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.

"The funds raised by the JeI are also being channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres. The JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in disruptive secessionist activities," the spokesperson said.

The NIA said further investigation in the case is going on.