Budgam youth held, was planning to join ISIS-inspired terror group: J&K Police

J&K Police arrests local youth in Budgam about to join terrorist ranks, foiling recruitment drive by Pakistani handlers.

The J&K Police on Thursday said it arrested a local youth from Budgam, “who was about to join terrorist ranks on the motivation of some Pakistani based terrorist handlers”.

“One hard-core and radicalised individual, Waseem Ahmed Shaikh, from Beerwah, Budgam, was about to join terrorist ranks on the motivation of some Pakistani based terrorist handlers. However, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) has managed to arrest him,” the police said.

The police investigation suggested that the arrested youth “was a part of many WhatsApp and Telegram groups, associated with terrorist outfits”.

“Further investigation is on to identify other members of such groups to take further legal actions against them,” the police said.

The police said it had received an input that terrorist outfit Ansar Gazwat-Ul-Hind, an offshoot of ISIS/ISKP, was trying to re-establish its base and revive its cadres in Kashmir. 

“One Pakistan-based terror handler of AuGH, identified as Hamzah alias Gazi, has been brainwashing and radicalizing Kashmiri youth to join terrorist ranks,” the police said.

According to the police, the AuGH has “brainwashed and cultivated few committed hybrid over ground workers in Kashmir valley and they in connivance with Pakistani terrorist handlers were planning a terrorist recruitment drive in the valley”.