New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday carried out searches at 14 places in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and the National Capital in a case related to terror activities of members of proscribed terrorist organizations like Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International, and International Sikh Youth Federation.

NIA said the terror activities include smuggling of terrorist hardware such as arms, ammunition explosives and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) across international borders for use by operatives and members of terror outfits and organized criminal gangs operating in various parts of the country for carrying out terrorist acts like bomb explosions, targeted killings.

During the searches conducted at the premises of the suspects, the NIA seized "incriminating materials, including digital devices and documents".

The central agency registered the case on August 20 this year taking suo-moto cognisance considering the significance of the matter.

Further investigations in the case are in progress, NIA said.

Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International, and International Sikh Youth Federation are among 42 organisations listed in the first schedule of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Babbar Khalsa International has been banned and listed as a terrorist organisation in several countries such as India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia and the European Union.

The International Sikh Youth Federation is banned as a terrorist organisation under Australian, European Union, Japanese, Indian, Canadian, and American counter-terrorism legislation.