J&K: NIA arrests one in terror funding case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a person in Jammu and Kashmir after conducting day-long raids at 18 locations in the union territory in connection with the suspicious funding activities of the Al Huda Educational Trust (AHET), an official said on Tuesday.

The raids were conducted in Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu, Srinagar, Bandipora, Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The arrested individual has been identified as Md. Ameer Shamshi, a resident of Rajouri.

An official said that Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), after being declared as an 'unlawful association' under UAPA Act, has been continuing its activities through its frontal organisations.

One such organisation is AHET, in Rajouri district.

"AHUT has been found raising funds through various means, including donations, hawala etc, purportedly for charitable purposes. But they are instead using these funds to radicalise and incite the youth of J&K for unlawful activities and disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India. NIA had suo-moto registered the case on September 3, 2022," the official said.

The NIA said that investigations have revealed that Shamshi is the Chairperson (Nizam-e-ala) of AHET and acts on the directions of the Chief Patron of the Trust. Investigations have also revealed that the ex-officio Chief Patron of AHET is the Ameer-e-Jamaat, JeI (J&K).

"The trust has been raising funds even after the declaration of JEI, J&K as an 'unlawful association'. Suspicious links with other NGOs and trusts operating in the Kashmir Valley have also emerged during investigations," the official said.

During the searches conducted, several mobile devices and documents related to funding, properties etc., have been seized.