The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad has apprehended four suspected operatives linked to al-Qaeda, allegedly involved in a fake currency network and accused of promoting the banned outfit’s extremist ideology via encrypted digital platforms.
The arrested men, identified as Mohd Faiq, Mohd Fardeen, Sefullah Kureshi, and Zeeshan Ali, are said to have used secretive social media groups and auto-delete messaging applications to disseminate terror propaganda and conceal their tracks, according to intelligence sources.
While three of the suspects were detained in Gujarat, one was picked up from another state, Gujarat ATS officers confirmed. All four have reportedly been under the scanner for a considerable duration, as their online activities flagged repeated engagement with banned terror content and operatives.
“The accused were using auto-delete apps to erase any trace of their communications. They were in touch with al-Qaeda handlers and had been working to indoctrinate others using social media,” an official privy to the investigation said.
Preliminary interrogation indicates that the quartet was allegedly involved in both promoting radical ideology and circulating counterfeit currency. Their encrypted digital trails were detected during routine surveillance of suspicious cyber activity.
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The ATS is now conducting a detailed forensic analysis of seized digital devices and social media accounts, which officials believe could unearth further leads about the group’s wider network.
The arrests come against the backdrop of increased alerts over sleeper cells and cyber-radicalisation modules operating across western India, particularly in border states.
al-Qaeda, founded by Osama bin Laden’s mentor Sheikh Abdullah Azzam under the banner of Makhtab al-Khidamat, has historically used propaganda and shadow networks to spread its influence. From its early years in Afghanistan and Pakistan to later operations across continents, the group and its affiliates have executed numerous deadly attacks in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.
The ATS is continuing its investigation into whether the accused had plans to execute any acts of terror or were part of a larger conspiracy being coordinated remotely.
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