Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrests 3 Syrians posing as Gaza victims to collect funds from mosques

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested three Syrian nationals who allegedly posed as victims of the Gaza conflict and collected funds from mosques in the city and Delhi, officials said on Friday.

According to police, the accused Zakaria (34), son of Haitham Muhammad Al-Zaher; Yusuf (27), son of Khalid Hussein Al-Zaher; and Ahmad (27), son of Ohed Khader Al-Habj, all residents of Damascus, Syria, had arrived in Ahmedabad on August 8, 2025, on tourist visas valid till October 2. They initially stayed at a mosque in the Shah Alam area for 10–12 days before travelling to Delhi, where they attempted to collect money at local mosques.

Police said the trio, who are related to each other, approached worshippers claiming that their parents were ill and that they were displaced from Gaza. They allegedly sought donations under false pretences and used the money to fund their stay in India.

Earlier, the Crime Branch had detained another Syrian national, Ali Medhat Alzaher, who was found residing in a hotel in Ellisbridge and identified as part of the same network. Based on his interrogation, lookout notices were issued against the three Syrians. On September 3, they were apprehended at Delhi airport while attempting to board a flight to Damascus via Dubai.

During their arrest, investigators recovered  $1,290 from Ahmad, $975 from Yusuf, and $720 from Zakaria. Police added that Ahmad had previously visited India twice on tourist visas with his family and collected funds from mosques in Lucknow and Delhi.

Senior officials said that multiple central and state agencies have questioned the trio, and steps have been initiated to deport and blacklist them. Their passports are also being verified for authenticity.

“Prima facie, the accused have violated visa rules and misused their stay in India. Investigations are underway to ascertain the end use of the funds they collected from different mosques,” a Crime Branch official said.