The National Investigation Agency Sunday carried out multiple raids on the premises of Jamaat-e-Islami activists at over 45 locations across 14 Jammu and Kashmir districts as part of its probe into alleged funding of terror activities in the Union Territory.

Sources said the case was registered by the NIA against Jamaat activists and office bearers early this year, for allegedly supporting terror activities at the behest of Pakistan.

The early morning raids were conducted at over 45 places on the houses and offices of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) activists in almost all districts of Kashmir and a few districts in the Jammu region, including Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri, officials said.

Earlier on 10 July, the investigating agency had arrested six people from various locations across Kashmir Valley in connection with Islamic State conspiracy to allegedly radicalise and recruit local youth for carrying out terror activities.

The raids had followed the termination of 11 employees by the J&K government, including the two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin for alleged terror links.

In February 2019, the Centre banned JeI for five years under anti-terror laws in 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

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 two Union territories in August 2019.

The officials said the latest raids by NIA sleuths assisted by police and CRPF were conducted in connection with an ongoing investigation into a case related to terror activities of the group.

The searches at multiple locations are still going on and further details are awaited, they added.

With inputs from agencies



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3jyOOcD