UP ATS Arrests 24-Year-Old Man From Meerut Mosque Over Alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed Links, Crypto Funding Trail
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad has arrested a 24-year-old man from a mosque in Meerut for his alleged links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, officials said Monday. The accused, Mohammad Zafar, is a resident of Purnia district in Bihar and had obtained a Maulvi degree from a madrasa in Meerut in 2022, according to the ATS. He had returned to Meerut about two…
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has apprehended a 24-year-old man, Mohammad Zafar, from a mosque in Meerut for alleged connections with the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group, according to officials on Monday. Zafar, who hails from Purnia district in Bihar, possesses a Maulvi degree from a madrasa in Meerut, obtained in 2022, as per the ATS. He returned to Meerut roughly two months ago and was apprehended from a mosque on Sunday.
According to the ATS, Zafar allegedly gathered donations from people in the name of a madrasa and sent the funds to JeM in Pakistan. Investigators discovered Pakistani jihadi WhatsApp groups on his mobile phone and evidence of his alleged participation in online activities related to jihad and the establishment of a caliphate, the agency stated.
During questioning, Zafar reportedly mentioned that he had learned about JeM while studying at the madrasa and was influenced by material glorifying jihad and the deaths of militants. He subsequently became under the influence of JeM chief Masood Azhar, as alleged by the ATS.
The ATS claims that Zafar was inspired by speeches delivered by Azhar and shared inflammatory and jihadi material on social media to encourage people towards violent jihad. They found similar content on his social media accounts, including posts made using Facebook, where his face was obscured. The agency alleges that Zafar offered assistance to a handler in jihad, and upon receiving instructions, he attempted to transfer money and sought details of a Binance account.
Moreover, investigators claim that Zafar communicated with suspected Pakistani operatives and made multiple cryptocurrency transfers using USDT.
The ATS is currently investigating Zafar's contacts, financial transactions, and potential links to other members of the alleged terror network. An FIR has been filed against Zafar under pertinent provisions, and investigators are examining his social media accounts, mobile phone conversations, and connections related to Pakistan.
They are also tracing the origins and destinations of the allegedly collected donations and transferred cryptocurrency. Furthermore, the ATS is investigating whether other individuals were involved in the alleged network and whether Zafar established ties with other JeM operatives.
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