The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out searches at 16 locations across Jammu & Kashmir in a case linked to new terror outfits in the Union Territory. In a statement, an NIA spokesperson said that the searches were carried out in the premises of cadres of hybrid terrorists and overground workers linked to newly formed offshoots and affiliates of several major banned Pakistan-backed outfits.
The raids were conducted in Anantnag, Srinagar, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam and Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts. “The NIA has been investigating the activities of newly floated terrorist groups, such as The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (UL J&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others. These outfits are affiliated to Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, etc,” reads the statement.
It added that the raids were part of NIA’s investigations into the activities of OGWs and cadres in support of these new outfits. “These cadres and workers have been found involved in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, cash, drugs and small weapons, as well as in spreading activities relating to violence and subversion in J&K. Investigations have further revealed that Pak-based operatives were using drones to deliver weapons, bombs, drugs etc. to their operatives and cadres in the Kashmir valley,” it said.
It added that NIA had earlier on May 2 conducted raids at 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices, in the terror conspiracy case it had registered suo motu on 21 June 2022.
“The case is related to the hatching of a conspiracy, both physical and cyberspace, and plans by the proscribed militant organisations to unleash violent militant attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms,” said the NIA. It added that terror associates’ plans are part of a larger conspiracy by these outfits to commit acts of terror and violence, in association with local overground workers, to disturb peace and communal disharmony in J&K.
