Woman arrested in Bengaluru over suspected Al-Qaeda links

A 30-year-old woman was arrested in Bengaluru by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for her alleged association with the Al Qaeda terror network, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The woman, identified as Sama Parveen, was taken into custody following the arrest of four men last week who were allegedly connected to Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The earlier arrests were made on July 23 in a coordinated operation across multiple states.

The four men—Mohd Faiq from Delhi, Mohd Fardeer from Ahmedabad, Sefullah Kureshi from Modasa in Gujarat’s Aravalli district, and Zeeshan Ali from Noida—had reportedly been under surveillance for their suspected links to AQIS, which is designated as a terrorist organisation.

According to Sunil Joshi, Deputy Inspector General of Police with the Gujarat ATS, Parveen’s arrest is directly linked to the earlier detentions. He said the operation was based on actionable intelligence and sustained surveillance, though specific details about her role in the network have not been disclosed.

Authorities continue to investigate the broader network and are expected to release more information as the case develops.