The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police on Thursday arrested a man from Kashmir for his alleged links with Junaid Mohammed, accused of having links with terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), said ATS on Thursday.
For the last few days, three teams of ATS were conducting searches and making enquiries at various places in Kargil, Ganderbal, and Srinagar areas in coordination with the local district police.
The man was arrested during the investigation of Junaid Muhammad who was arrested by ATS from Pune.
On Wednesday evening, a team of Maharashtra ATS, 28-years-old Aftab Hussain Shah from Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah is accused of being the link between Junaid Mohammed and a LeT operative based in a foreign country.
Shah was produced before the competent court of that jurisdiction and he was handed over to ATS, Maharashtra on three days transit remand. He shall be produced before the competent court for police custody on his arrival in Maharashtra.
Accused Aftab Hussain Shah was born and brought up in Kishtwar. He is a carpenter by profession and owns land in Kishtwar.
The 28-year-old accused Mohammad Junaid, as per the Maharashtra ATS is an Indian national, residing in Pune and was connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) terror network.
"The team has got some information about Junaid's links with the terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. ATS also recorded the statement of his family members," said ATS.
According to an ATS official, Junaid was in touch with active members of LeT Kashmir and was trying to recruit youth for the banned organisation from various parts of the state. "Later these recruits were taken to Jammu and Kashmir for training, to conduct terrorist activities."
The official informed of a transaction between Junaid and the LeT.
"Prima facie investigation revealed that Junaid was also trying to disturb the National security and communal harmony and trying to create a religious rift among communities by posting various comments etc through various social media like Facebook and WhatsApp etc," the ATS said.
Junaid has been booked under sections 153A (attacks upon the religion, race, etc), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the State), 116 (bribing public servant) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
As per the ATS, Junaid was using 10 SIM cards. "All these SIM cards were used to interact and coordinate with whom the top bosses for training in J-K and how to proceed further." He destroyed all the SIM cards after using them.
Junaid's suspicious role had emerged during the operation in Jammu and Kashmir for three months, for which he had shifted from Akola to Pune.
So far, the ATS has identified three handlers of LeT during the investigation, an official said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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