The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested five more people allegedly linked to a JeM terror unit, officials said on Friday. The total number of defendants arrested in this case is 13.
The arrests were made following the detection while the eight accused were earlier arrested in the police custody in the case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The eight, who were arrested on July 3 during coordinated raids in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, were remanded in remand for 14 days.
According to the ATS, the investigation found that some of the accused were staying at Abul Hassan University School in Khadiasan, Patan, where they were allegedly learning IED making methods and bomb detonation mechanisms since 2023.
Between 2023 and February 2026, the defendants, on eight separate occasions at different places and times, attempted various methods to carry out explosions using different explosive timing mechanisms, according to the officials.
They allegedly purchased the raw materials needed to manufacture gunpowder through electronic platforms and local markets, while the materials used in preparing the explosive device were recovered from Muhammad Amin Shira for examination.
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The five newly arrested accused have been identified as Bilal Abidbhai Shera, Muhammad Ayub Kadiwala, Muhammad Ayubhai Sunsara alias Muhammad Khali, Shafi Rais Mukhi alias Shafi Chabi, and Muhammad Hassan Hanifbhai Kardia alias Hassan Haiderpuri.
Separate teams, in coordination with police in Gujarat and Rajasthan, interrogated several suspects and witnesses before arresting the five on July 15, the agency said. The court then granted the agency eight days of pretrial detention for further investigation.
The anti-terrorism agency alleged that Bilal Shera had earlier supplied a drive containing speeches, videos and books of Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar to previously arrested accused Mohammad Amin Shera, after which the materials were printed from various websites.
The case was registered by the ATS on July 2 after it received intelligence information that members of the banned outfit were trying to create a network in Gujarat, motivate people to join the organization and carry out terrorist activities.
During the investigation, the anti-terrorism agency recovered a JeM flag, printed books written by Masood Azhar, a printed letter addressed to him and $1.3 lakh in cash, which investigators suspect was intended for terrorist activities.
