Srinagar (J&K): The Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday claimed to have busted a militant recruitment and funding module of Tehreek-e-ul Mujhahideen Jammu & Kashmir (TuMJK) in north Kashmir and arrested six accused with pistols and an IED. According to the police spokesman, police along with Army’s 21 and 47 RR, busted the “deep-rooted” militant funding and recruitment module following the arrest of Bilal Ahmed Dar of Cheerkote area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.
According to the spokesman, a joint operation was launched by the Army and Kupwara police to nab Dar from the general area of Nutnussa and Lolab localities of Kupwara. "After thorough interrogation, Dar revealed that he, along with five other people from different parts of north Kashmir, was running a terrorist funding racket under the garb of a fake NGO called “Islahi Falahi Relief Trust” (IFRT), which claimed to provide monetary assistance to the poor and needy families,” a police spokesperson said.
“He was actively involved in coordinating the funding activities and aiding recruitment by organising “Ijtema” meetings in different villages where Dar, along with other members of the NGO, would try and lure young people into anti-national activities,” he said. According to police, Bilal revealed the names of other accomplices, including Wahid Ahmed Bhatt from Kachloo, Langate, and Javed Ahmed Najar from Singhpora, Baramulla and three individuals including Mushtaq Ahmed Najar of Brath Sopore and Bashir Ahmed Mir from Mundji area of Sopore.
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Another individual namely Zubair Ahmed Dar from Cheerkote, who is Bilal’s cousin, was also actively involved in the module, police said. The module, police claimed, was being coordinated by Pakistan-based handlers to aid the operations of “Tehreek-e-ul Mujhahideen Jammu & Kashmir” (TuMJK) in north Kashmir.
“The modus operandi of the group was to go to different villages and conduct events and gatherings under the garb of the NGO and would collect money by asking for charity and also scout for potential soft targets as recruits,” police said, adding, “The accounts in the NGO’s name were being used to launder money for the TuMJK.”
The group, as per police, was also responsible for “sticking Anti-national posters around the 15th of August and during the visit of the Union Home Minister of India to Baramulla". “Bilal specifically also admitted to hoisting a Pakistani flag inside Markazi Jamia Masjid Kupwara on the 14th of August on the instructions of his Pakistani handlers,” police said.
It said the group was also "actively collecting explosive materials known to be used in IEDs.” As per police, Bilal and his associates were receiving instructions from across the border from Dr Shah Sab alias Manzoor Shah alias Gen Abdullah actually named Ghulam Rasool Shah of Hyhama Kupwara, who is a Pakistan-based militant handler, Tariq Peer alias Yousaf Baloch alias Osama alias Qureshi actually named Mohammad Sultan Peer of Sulkoot Kupwara, also a Pakistan based militant handler and one Hamza alias Mishtaq.
“Wahid Ahmed Bhatt alias ‘Tauheed’ was the mastermind behind the recruitment and terrorist funding module,” police said, adding, “A huge quantity of arms, ammunition, the raw material to prepare IED and incriminating material has also been recovered from all the apprehended individuals.” The recoveries consisted of five pistols, ten Magazines, 49 pistol rounds and two grenades beside one IED. A case (FIR NO: 264/22) under sections 7/25 Arms Act, 13,18,20,38 UA(P) Act has been registered against all the individuals in Police Station Kupwara for further investigation, said police.
