Use of encrypted messaging for coordinating with LeT, JeM via Secure App
Srinagar, Jul 19: Jammu and Kashmir Police’s counter-intelligence wing has detained 10 individuals suspected of involvement in a terror-linked communication and recruitment network operating across multiple districts of the Kashmir Valley. The suspects are alleged to have used encrypted messaging applications to coordinate with handlers based in Pakistan for funding and executing terror-related activities.
According to officials, the Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit launched simultaneous search operations at 10 locations in Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, and Ganderbal districts. The operation is part of an ongoing investigation into a two-year-old case registered under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) along with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.
Preliminary digital forensics uncovered suspicious technical signatures indicating active communication between local operatives and cross-border handlers. Officials revealed that the suspects were using a specific encrypted application frequently employed by Pakistan-based terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed for recruitment, coordination, and financial transactions.
Sources linked the detained individuals to Abdullah Gazi, a known handler affiliated with both LeT and JeM and operating from Pakistan. Gazi is believed to be working in close coordination with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, and actively radicalising local youth through covert communication channels.
The CIK team executed the raids with strategic precision, uncovering a trove of digital devices and documents now under forensic analysis. Authorities are now examining the seized material to establish direct links and further leads for prosecution.
Police officials stated that the objective of the operation is to not only disrupt the ongoing recruitment and funding chains but also to prevent vulnerable youth from being lured into the terror network. The crackdown is part of a broader effort to dismantle the ecosystem of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who facilitate the functioning of terror outfits in the Union Territory.
Investigation is ongoing, and legal action will follow based on the digital evidence and interrogation outcomes. Officials emphasized the importance of community vigilance and cooperation to isolate disruptive elements from exploiting communication technology for violent agendas.
