Woman Al-Qaeda Module Leader Arrested by Gujarat ATS in Bengaluru
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested the alleged key conspirator of a terror module affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The accused, identified as 30-year-old Shama Parveen, was taken into custody from Bengaluru, Karnataka, where she was allegedly operating as the main handler for the group.
Parveen’s arrest is a major development following a multi-city operation on July 23 that led to the capture of four other suspected terrorists. Those suspects—Mohd Fardeen, Sefullah Kureshi, Zeeshan Ali, and Mohd Faiq, all aged between 20 and 25—were arrested from Gujarat, Delhi, and Noida. According to authorities, the group was communicating via a social media application and was planning coordinated attacks on high-profile targets across India.
Investigations have revealed that the terror module had cross-border links and was in contact with handlers located outside India. Sources said Parveen was allegedly running the entire module from Karnataka, coordinating its activities and plans.
The arrests come amid heightened concerns about the terror group’s activities in the region. A recent United Nations report highlighted that Al-Qaeda is actively attempting to expand its presence in the Indian subcontinent. The 32nd report from the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Monitoring Team warned that AQIS, under its leader Osama Mehmood, is being restructured to spread its operations across Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. This successful operation by the Gujarat ATS marks a significant blow to the terror outfit’s ambitions in India.
