The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted searches at 26 locations spread across five states and arrested a suspect in connection with activities related to Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

The search operations were carried out in Maharashtra, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

In Maharashtra, search operations were held jointly with the state anti-terrorism squad (ATS) at several locations. The operation targeted suspects allegedly involved in anti-national activities and with links to JeM.

“Sheikh Sultan Salah Uddin Ayubi alias Ayubi was taken into custody after searches at 26 locations in Assam, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. The accused was arrested on account of his incriminatory role in the conspiracy case,” the agency said in a statement, adding several other suspects have also been rounded up for questioning.

“During the searches, NIA teams seized several incriminating documents, electronic devices, pamphlets and magazines. These are being examined for further leads and evidence against the suspects whose premises were searched today,” the NIA said.

The suspects, the agency said, were engaged in radicalising individuals associated with JeM, and were engaged in disseminating terrorist-related propaganda, and radicalising and recruiting youth into the Jamaat outfit inspired by JeM. These suspects were involved in motivating youth into committing violent terror attacks across India, the probe has revealed.

The premises searched by the NIA on Saturday were located in Goalpara (Assam), Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Jalna (Maharashtra), Malegaon (Maharashtra), Meerut and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi, Baramulla, Pulwama and Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir).