Syrian man claiming to raise funds for Gaza victims arrested in Gujarat, 3 others absconding

Ahmedabad, Aug 23 (PTI) A Syrian national who was raising funds from mosques here purportedly for the needy residents of war-torn Gaza has been arrested while his three compatriots are absconding, the city police said on Saturday.

The accused and his associates appeared to be using the money collected in the name of Gaza victims to finance their lavish lifestyle, and it is also suspected that they were in the city to conduct a recce for some purpose, a senior police official said. Ali Meghat Al-Azhar (23) was arrested from a hotel in Ellis Bridge area, said Sharad Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch.

The absconding Syrians, who were staying in the same hotel, were identified as Zakaria Haitham Alzar, Ahmed Alhabash and Yousef Al-Zahar.

"Based on a tip-off, we nabbed Al-Azhar, a resident of Damascus. We found USD 3,600 and Rs 25,000 in cash from his possession. The other three went underground after his arrest," said Singhal.

A look-out notice has been issued against them so that they can not flee India, he said.

The four Syrians came to India on tourist visas and landed in Kolkata on July 22. They reached Ahmedabad on August 2, Singhal said.

"They would approach local mosques and seek donations, showing videos of starving people in Gaza to gain sympathy. They claimed that they were collecting funds for providing food to the needy people in Gaza. But we did not find any evidence that they were sending funds to Gaza," he said.

The Ahmedabad police's crime branch along with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and National Investigation Agency is conducting an investigation about their exact motive behind coming to Gujarat and where the funds collected from local mosques were sent.

"It is a matter of investigation why they first went to Kolkata and then came here, and if they are really into fund-raising or doing a recce for some other purpose. Recovery of US dollars and some digital transactions also raise suspicion. We are now scanning CCTV footage of the area to know more about their movements and links," the official said.

"Prima facie, it appears they were here to do a recce and were in touch with some suspicious people," he added.

In a press release, the crime branch said the arrested Syrian national and his accomplices indulged in acts that violated the tourist visa conditions.

During interrogation, the man admitted that the gang was raising money to fund its members' lavish lifestyle, it stated.

The process of blacklisting and deporting the arrested Syrian national has started, the police added. PTI PD PJT ARU KRK