India Raids Banned Religious Group in Alleged Terrorism Funding Case

SRINAGAR, INDIA - India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Sunday it conducted raids at nearly five dozen places linked to banned religious organization Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Jammu and Kashmir in an alleged terrorism funding case.

The government accuses Jamaat-e-Islami of supporting militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which is at the heart of decades of conflict with Muslim Pakistan. India's main counterterrorism arm said in a statement that members of the organization have collected funds domestically and abroad through donations for the charity and welfare activities, but the funds were instead used for violent and secessionist activities. "The funds raised by JeI are also being channeled to proscribed terrorist organizations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and others through well-organized networks of JeI cadres," the agency said.