SRINAGAR: In one of the largest additions to the list of designated individual terrorists in recent years, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday notified 23 operatives linked to Pakistan-based proscribed outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and The Resistance Front (TRF) as terrorists under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing their alleged involvement in terror recruitment, infiltration, training, financing, drone-based arms supply and planning attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
The government said the individuals have been operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and have played key roles in sustaining cross-border terror infrastructure directed against India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the notifications issued by the MHA, 17 of the designated terrorists are Pakistani nationals and six are Indian nationals, though all are currently operating from Pakistan or PoJK.
The move follows the 2019 amendment to the UAPA that empowered the Centre to designate individuals, in addition to organisations, as terrorists. Inclusion in the Fourth Schedule of the Act enables investigative agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to freeze assets, block finances, impose restrictions on arms transactions and intensify legal action against the designated persons.
The Ministry said the designated individuals were involved in activities ranging from recruitment and radicalisation of youth to arranging terrorist training, facilitating infiltration, collecting terror funds, providing logistics, supplying arms and ammunition through drones and planning or facilitating attacks in India.
Among those designated are Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, Mohammad Mussadiq alias Doctor alias Hamza, Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan alias Abu Saad, Hafiz Abdul Shakoor alias Qari Zarrar, Abdullah Jehadi, Firdous Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Fareed, Haroon Rashid Ganai, Mohammed Shaheed Faisal, Bilal Ahmad Mir, Abid Quyoom Lone, Nazir Ahmed Gujjar, Abdul Rauf alias Hafiz Abdul Rauf, Ashfaq Ahmad, Hafiz Khalid Waleed, Maulana Saifullah Khalid, Mohammad Yaqoob, Molana Yousaf Taibi, Waseem Noor Jat, Owais Farooz, Qari Yaqub Sheikh, Rana Iftikhar and Maulana Imdad Ullah Makki.
The Centre identified Abdul Rauf, Hafiz Khalid Waleed and Rana Iftikhar as close associates of LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.
According to the notification, Rana Iftikhar, 54, allegedly coordinates anti-India terrorist activities, motivates youth to join terrorist ranks and works closely with Hafiz Saeed. Abdul Rauf, 52, is described as a senior LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa functionary involved in planning terrorist operations and collecting funds under Saeed’s direct command. Hafiz Khalid Waleed, 51, has been described as the alleged mastermind behind several terrorist incidents operating under Saeed’s protection.
The MHA also highlighted the role of several JeM operatives in major attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, also known as Mufti Masood Ilyas, has been identified as a senior JeM functionary based in Rawalkot in PoJK. He is accused of recruiting youth, training terrorists, facilitating infiltration into India and involvement in the April 22, 2022 Sunjwan attack on security forces.
Mohammad Mussadiq alias Doctor alias Hamza, a resident of Pakistan’s Narowal district, has been described as one of JeM’s principal infiltration handlers. The government alleged that he coordinated infiltration of Pakistani terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir, supplied arms and ammunition through drones across the International Border and supervised JeM cyber units using social media platforms to recruit youth. He has also been linked to the Sunjwan attack.
The Centre designated Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan alias Abu Saad, Hafiz Abdul Shakoor alias Qari Zarrar and Abdullah Jehadi for their alleged involvement in the November 29, 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack. The notification describes Asghar Khan as one of the masterminds of the attack and a JeM launching commander, while Hafiz Abdul Shakoor and Abdullah Jehadi were also identified as key conspirators involved in planning and facilitating the assault.
The government alleged that Firdous Ahmad Bhat managed the movement of foreign terrorists across the Line of Control and facilitated their entry into India. Ghulam Fareed has been accused of providing arms and ammunition to terrorists and participating in unlawful activities.
Haroon Rashid Ganai allegedly recruited youth into terrorist ranks and arranged weapons for attacks, while Mohammed Shaheed Faisal was described as being linked not only to LeT but also to Al-Qaeda and ISIS modules. According to the notification, he allegedly recruited youth through social media, arranged weapons training in Pakistan, raised funds and trained recruits in data encryption and the use of fake identities to evade security agencies.
The notification further alleged that Bilal Ahmad Mir, associated with LeT and TRF, was involved in cross-border conspiracies to carry out terrorist attacks.
Others designated include Abid Quyoom Lone, accused of planning terrorist operations, arranging logistics and collecting funds; Nazir Ahmed Gujjar, alleged to have supplied arms and ammunition through drones; Ashfaq Ahmad, accused of providing technical assistance and collecting funds; Maulana Imdad Ullah Makki, described as an alleged coordinator and head of several JeM factions; Maulana Saifullah Khalid, accused of being active in several Jamaat-ud-Dawa factions; Mohammad Yaqoob, alleged to have provided logistics and financial assistance; Molana Yousaf Taibi, accused of working with LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa; Waseem Noor Jat, alleged to have delivered drones, arms and ammunition; Owais Farooz; and Qari Yaqub Sheikh, both of whom were also included in the latest list of designated terrorists.
