Gujarat ATS busts AQIS-linked terror module, arrests four for radicalising youth online

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested four individuals allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), dismantling what the agency described as an active terror module operating across multiple Indian states. The suspects were reportedly involved in disseminating jihadi propaganda and attempting to radicalise youth through social media platforms, according to reports from ANI and The Times of India.

Accused identified across states

The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohd Faiq Mohd Rizwan, resident of Faraskhana, Delhi; Mohd Fardeen Mohd Raees, of Fatehwadi, Ahmedabad; Zeeshan Ali Asif Ali, from Chhajrasi Colony, Sector 63, Noida; and Saifullah Qureshi, from Bhoi Wada, Modasa. All four are between the ages of 20 and 25, according to Gujarat ATS officials quoted by The Times of India.

They have been booked under sections 13, 18, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and sections 113, 152, 196, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering terrorist acts, criminal conspiracy, promotion of communal enmity, and acts threatening national unity.

Jihadi content targeting democracy and religious communities

DIG Sunil Joshi of Gujarat ATS told ANI that Deputy SP Harsh Upadhyay had received intelligence on 10 June about five Instagram accounts allegedly promoting AQIS propaganda. The suspects reportedly used Instagram and other platforms to circulate inflammatory videos, extremist fatwas, and calls for armed rebellion under the banner of "Ghazwa-e-Hind".

The digital content included messages against Indian democracy, members of the Hindu community, and state institutions. According to The Times of India, the accused aimed to incite communal unrest and promote the establishment of an Islamic Khilafat. Officials stated that the group used multiple social media platforms and suspicious mobile applications to coordinate and spread their message.

Arrest operation and material recovered

Following surveillance, ATS teams apprehended all four suspects. According to ANI, a sword and jihadi material linked to Al-Qaeda were recovered from Fardeen Shaikh. Mohd Faiq was allegedly in contact with Pakistani Instagram accounts that provided content for jihadist propaganda.

Investigators also seized documents referencing a suspected plot referred to as "Operation Sindoor". ATS officials said the related social media posts were anti-government, pro-Pakistan, and intended to provoke religious sentiments.

The complaint submitted by Gujarat ATS, as cited by The Times of India, indicates that incriminating material such as jihadi literature, communication with suspected handlers, and digital content supporting secessionist ideologies were found in the initial investigation.

Legal proceedings and wider probe

Saifullah Qureshi and Fardeen Shaikh were presented in court and remanded to 14 days in custody. The remaining two suspects are expected to be produced before the court on the following day.

The ATS is also investigating the group’s wider digital network, including unidentified collaborators believed to be engaged in similar online activity. According to The Times of India, the agency is exploring potential links to a 2023 case in which four Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Gujarat for alleged ties to AQIS.

Officials believe the current case may be part of a broader network promoting terrorism across India. Interrogation and digital forensics are ongoing.

(With inputs from TOI and ANI)