Four terrorists linked to al-Qaeda were arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in a coordinated operation across multiple states including Gujarat, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh in July 2025. 

The accused, identified as Mohd Faiq (Delhi), Mohd Fardeen (Ahmedabad), Sefullah Kureshi (Modasa), and Zeeshan Ali (Noida), were involved in running a fake currency racket and spreading the ideology of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) through social media platforms and suspicious auto-delete apps, which they used to erase traces of their communication to evade detection.

Gujarat ATS officials revealed that the suspects had long-standing connections with al-Qaeda, having come into contact via social media. Their activities included sharing extremist literature, radical posts, and inflammatory videos promoting jihad and the establishment of sharia law through violence.

The arrested individuals were found posting content glorifying jihad, including videos of Asim Umar, an Indian who joined AQIS and was killed in Afghanistan in 2019. The group’s agenda focused on inciting youth towards AQIS ideology and aiming to destabilise the Indian democratic framework by promoting armed insurrection and communal hatred.

The crackdown was initiated after intelligence uncovered five Instagram accounts spreading provocative content related to terrorism and communal violence. The accused reportedly maintained encrypted and self-deleting communications to avoid digital footprints.

During raids, authorities seized jihadi literature promoting "Operation Sindoor"—an anti-India jihadist campaign—and even a sword from one of the suspects. The arrests followed extensive surveillance and cooperation with central agencies and police forces in multiple states, reflecting a significant counterterrorism effort targeting digital recruitment and radicalisation networks targeting Indian youth.

This case is registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), with ongoing investigations probing the suspects’ funding, wider network connections, and precise plans. Officials believe the module may involve additional individuals, and the Gujarat ATS continues interrogation and digital forensics to dismantle the terror network.

Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) originated from Osama bin Laden’s organisation, which historically operated in Afghanistan and Pakistan and has been responsible for international terrorism acts. This arrest underscores ongoing threats posed by such global terror groups using modern technology for radicalisation and covert operations within India.

The Gujarat ATS’s arrest of these four al-Qaeda affiliates reveals their strategy of using technology and social media to propagate extremism, their involvement in criminal activities like fake currency racket, and their broader intent to challenge India’s democratic fabric through violence and terror.

Based On A NDTV Report