Gujarat ATS arrests four Al-Qaeda-linked terror suspects planning major attacks in India
PTC Web Desk: In a significant operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Wednesday arrested four terror suspects allegedly linked to the banned outfit Al-Qaeda. The suspects were reportedly planning attacks at high-profile locations across India.
The accused, in the 20-25 age group, were apprehended from different parts of the country—two from Gujarat, one from Delhi, and another from Noida in Uttar Pradesh. They have been identified as Mohd Fardeen, Sefullah Kureshi, Zeeshan Ali, and Mohd Faiq. According to officials, they were in touch with each other through a social media application.
Initial investigations have revealed that the suspects had links across borders and were assigned critical terror targets within India. Authorities are currently conducting further interrogation to uncover more details about the network and their plans.
This development comes on the heels of a recent United Nations report, which warns of Al-Qaeda’s efforts to expand its influence in the Indian subcontinent. The 32nd report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the UN Security Council noted that Al-Qaeda is actively developing its regional wing — Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) — to spread operations into Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
According to the report, AQIS currently has around 200 fighters, and Osama Mehmood serves as the group's emir. While Al-Qaeda’s capacity to carry out large-scale attacks is currently limited, its determination remains strong. The group is said to be using Afghanistan as a base for ideological training and logistical support, while working to quietly rebuild its external operations.
- With inputs from agencies
