In a continued crackdown on terror networks, the Jharkhand Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested another individual allegedly associated with the banned international terrorist group Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) from Dhanbad district. The arrest was made just days after four suspects with similar affiliations were apprehended from the same area on April 26.
According to officials, the latest arrest was of 33-year-old Ammar Yashar, who was picked up on Wednesday from the Shamsher Nagar locality in the Bhuli area. A statement from the ATS confirmed that Yashar is suspected of having direct links to HuT, a pan-Islamist organisation banned in several countries, including India.
Mobile Phone Seized, Evidence Recovered
During the raid, the ATS seized Yashar’s mobile phone, which reportedly contained several incriminating documents linked to banned terrorist organisations. These digital materials are now part of the ongoing investigation.
The ATS revealed that Ammar Yashar was previously linked with the Indian Mujahideen (IM), another outlawed terrorist group. He was arrested in Jodhpur in 2014 and spent nearly a decade in prison. After being released on bail in May 2024, Yashar reportedly reconnected with extremist elements in Dhanbad.
“After serving about 10 years in prison, he was released on bail in May 2024. Subsequently, he came in contact with Ayan Javed in Dhanbad and several other accused individuals, and was involved with the banned organization HuT (Hizb ut-Tahrir),” the ATS statement read.
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Wider Network Under Probe
On April 26, the ATS had arrested four individuals from Dhanbad — Ayan Javed (21), Gulfam Hasan (21), Md Shahzad Alam (20), and Shabnam Pravin (20). These arrests followed raids triggered by intelligence inputs suggesting that members of HuT, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), ISIS, and other extremist groups were actively recruiting youths in the region.
Authorities believe these suspects were part of a broader radicalisation and recruitment network targeting vulnerable individuals for extremist activities.
Intensifying Counterterrorism Efforts
With this fresh arrest, Jharkhand ATS has intensified its counterterrorism operations in the state. Officials are examining possible links between the suspects and other sleeper cells or active operatives across the country.
Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are likely as the ATS tracks leads from digital evidence and interrogation reports.
