J&K Police counter-intelligence team conducts raids against new militant outfit

Srinagar, Oct 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s counter-intelligence wing carried out raids on Tuesday in several districts of the Valley and busted a recruitment module of a new militant outfit believed to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot, officials said here.

They said the raids were carried out at 10 locations across Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kulgam, Budgam, Anantnag and Pulwama.

During the operation, police busted a recruitment module run by a newly floated terrorist organisation ‘Tehreek Labaik Ya Muslim’ (TLM), headed by a Pakistani terrorist handler known by his alias ‘Baba Hamas’, the officials said.

They added that the searches were conducted in pursuance of a search warrant issued by a special NIA court in a case registered under various sections of the IPC and the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The case pertains to a larger conspiracy hatched by proscribed terrorist organisations operating within Jammu and Kashmir and across the LoC at the behest of Pakistani agencies.

These outfits, in connivance with their sympathisers in the Kashmir valley, are continuously creating “new terror modules”, the officials said.

They said by misusing social media applications, youngsters of Kashmir are being lured using various means to indulge in unlawful and terrorist activities and also join terror ranks.

Based on information and evidence, it was found that ‘Baba Hamas’ is going to float a new terror organisation called ‘Tehreek Labaik Ya Muslim’ (TLM) in conspiracy with sympathisers operating in the Kashmir valley with the active support of Pakistani agencies, the officials said.

“It was further found that the terrorist handler is providing seditious material and directions to OGWs/supporters/facilitators/sympathizers through various covert/encrypted social media applications for radicalisation and luring the youths to join terrorist ranks of newly floated terrorist organization TLM,” a statement said.

The module is in continuous touch with handlers and members of terrorist organisations across the border and is learnt to be using encrypted internet messaging platforms, besides other software applications, the officials said.

The raids led to the arrest of some suspects and the seizure of incriminating materials in the form of digital devices, SIM cards, mobile phones and laptops having a bearing on the investigation of the case, they said.

“This newly floated terrorist organisation has claimed a few incidents in the recent past which include a fire incident in Panchayat Ghar in the Seer area of district Pulwama, and another fire in a remote village of Doda (though not corroborated on the ground).

“This outfit also remained involved in pasting of posters at various locations in South and Central Kashmir and on internet-based social media platforms as well,” the statement said.

The counter-intelligence wing said the investigation is aimed at dismantling the terror ecosystem in the Union territory by not only identifying over-ground workers supporting and abetting terrorism but also by ensuring legal action as envisaged by the law.