Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Aug 23: In a major crackdown, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has exposed a Syrian gang that allegedly posed as victims of the Gaza conflict to fraudulently collect donations from city mosques. The police arrested 23-year-old Ali Meghat Alzahar from a hotel, recovering $3,600 in foreign currency and Rs 25,000 in cash.
The gang, believed to have six members, entered India from Syria via Abu Dhabi, landing in Kolkata on July 22 before arriving in Ahmedabad on August 1. The authorities are now searching for three named suspects — Ahmed Alhabash, Zakaria Alzahar, and Yusuf Alzahar — while two other accomplices remain unidentified and are currently at large.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sharad Singhal said, “We received alerts about suspicious foreigners claiming to be Palestinians collecting donations in mosques. Ali's interrogation has given us vital information. His mobile phone, passport, and travel history are under scrutiny.”
According to investigators, the gang used emotional appeals at mosques, claiming they had been displaced by the war in Gaza. However, they could not provide any credible documentation showing that the collected funds were being used for humanitarian aid. Instead, evidence suggests the group may be involved in visa violations and potentially more serious offenses.
Ali, who arrived on a tourist visa, allegedly feigned Arabic-only language skills and claimed his visible injuries were from war-related violence. Police sources, however, say the gang may have originally assembled in Lebanon and entered India under false pretenses.
Authorities are now reviewing CCTV footage, financial transactions, and digital communications to uncover the full extent of their activities. Deportation and blacklisting procedures have been initiated against Ali, while central and state agencies continue to track his associates.
The case has raised serious concerns about internal security and misuse of humanitarian narratives to exploit public sentiment.