In a significant development, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has apprehended Shama Parveen, a 30-year-old resident of Bengaluru, for allegedly leading a terror module associated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Authorities have identified her as the primary handler responsible for coordinating the module’s activities from Karnataka.
Parveen’s arrest follows the earlier detainment of four suspects on July 23, who were captured in Gujarat, Delhi, and Noida. The individuals, aged between 20 and 25, include Mohd Fardeen, Sefullah Kureshi, Zeeshan Ali, and Mohd Faiq. Investigators revealed that these suspects were utilizing social media platforms for communication and had been tasked with targeting key locations across India.
Investigative findings suggest that the group maintained connections beyond Indian borders, engaging with handlers operating outside the country. Authorities suspect that they were plotting coordinated terror attacks, indicating their possible involvement in a broader network of extremism.
This arrest is particularly notable against the backdrop of a recent report from the United Nations. The 32nd report by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team has raised concerns regarding AQIS’s efforts to expand its influence in the Indian subcontinent. Under the leadership of Osama Mehmood, the organization is reportedly increasing its activities in regions including Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
The Gujarat ATS is actively pursuing the investigation to uncover the full scope of the network’s operations and its connections to global terrorist organizations. As the inquiry unfolds, authorities are focusing on dismantling any potential threats posed by this group and tracking their international links.
