BBM Returns in Terror Probe; LeT Module Used Encrypted Apps in J&K

The BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) application has re-emerged in investigations linked to terror networks in Jammu and Kashmir , with officials stating that a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module allegedly used multiple encrypted and banned communication platforms to coordinate activities.

According to investigators, the module busted by Srinagar Police last month was reportedly tasked with establishing bases outside Jammu and Kashmir. It led to the arrest of Abdullah alias Abu Hureira , a resident of Kasur in Pakistan’s Punjab, along with another Pakistani operative, Mohammed Usman Jatt , and several Overground Workers (OGWs). Given its cross-border dimensions, the case has been handed over for further investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

During interrogation, Abu Hureira allegedly revealed that the group used a mix of secure messaging services, including BBM Enterprise , Element, Threema, and Dust, alongside mainstream apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, and Signal . Officials said VPNs were also used to evade surveillance.

BBM, first flagged by Indian security agencies in 2009, was later brought under regulatory scrutiny, leading to server localisation agreements in 2011–12. Its free service was discontinued in 2019, after which it shifted to BBM Enterprise , a paid corporate communication platform. Authorities are now tracking the accounts allegedly used by the suspects and plan to engage with the service provider.

Officials said encrypted and disappearing-message apps pose significant challenges to real-time intelligence gathering . The Centre had banned 14 messaging applications in 2023 over security concerns, including Element, citing their misuse by terror modules in Jammu and Kashmir.

Security agencies also noted growing concerns over the use of highly anonymous platforms and social media tools by extremist groups for communication, recruitment, and propaganda , often exploiting gaps in digital surveillance frameworks.