Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: In a significant counter-terrorism operation, the Jharkhand Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has successfully apprehended seven terrorists associated with the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The arrests were made following coordinated raids at 14 different locations across various districts, including Lohardaga’s Kairo and Hazaribagh’s Pelawal.
During the raids, weapons were recovered from one of the arrested terrorists in Lohardaga. The ATS is currently interrogating the suspects, with more details expected to emerge soon. However, there has been no official confirmation of the arrests so far.
AQIS, a banned terrorist organization established in 2014, operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Burma, and Bangladesh. The group is reportedly linked to the Ansarullah Bangla Team and is focused on waging jihad to establish an Islamic state. Their agenda includes spreading terror in Jharkhand, radicalizing youth with similar ideologies, and recruiting individuals to wage war against India. The ultimate goal is to overthrow the democratically elected government and implement ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ in India.
According to sources, the arrested individuals revealed during interrogation that their mission is to propagate terror in the region, radicalize youth, establish Sharia law in India, and wage war against Bangladesh. They were also involved in a systematic recruitment process aimed at achieving these objectives.
Jharkhand’s districts, including Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Lohardaga, Pakur, and Giridih, have become hotspots for sleeper cells of terrorist organizations. Over the years, these districts have provided shelter to such cells, allowing them to plan and execute their activities. In the past 13 years, a total of 26 sleeper cells have been dismantled in these districts by state authorities.
