NIA arrests ‘JeM operative’ as part of its crackdown in Kashmir
Srinagar: An operative of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, who was allegedly “passing secret information about the movement of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir”, has been arrested, an NIA official said on Sunday.
“The arrest of Mohammad Ubaid Malik of north Kashmir’s Kupwara came amid a crackdown against conspiracies being hatched by terrorist organisations based across the border to destabilise India through terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir,” a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
“Malik was in constant touch with a Pakistan-based JeM commander. Investigations have revealed that he was passing on secret information, especially regarding the movement of troops and security forces, to the Pakistan-based commander,” the spokesperson said.
The official said various incriminating documents showing his involvement in the furtherance of terror activities were recovered from his possession at the time of his arrest.
The National Investigation Agency registered the terror conspiracy case suo motu on June 21 last year to unearth the conspiracies hatched by cadres and overground workers of various terrorist organisations on the directions of their commanders based in Pakistan, the spokesperson said.
“It involves collection and distribution of huge consignments of narcotics, cash, weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including remote control-operated sticky/magnetic bombs,” the official said.
The spokesperson said IEDs and explosives are often delivered from across the border using drones and are also being assembled locally in order to execute terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The attacks are mainly targeted at minorities and security forces personnel,” the official said.
The NIA said such conspiracies are being hatched “both physically and in cyberspace with the overarching aim of disturbing peace and communal harmony, engaging in terrorist acts, and waging a war against the Government of India.”
