6 arrested; 5 pistols, ammunition recovered
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 10 : Security forces today busted a militant recruitment and funding module of Tehreek-e-ul-Mujhahideen (TuM) in North Kashmir and recovered arms and ammunition from them.
Police said that they along with 21 and 47 RR Army busted the “deep-rooted” militant funding and recruitment module following the arrest of an individual Bilal Ahmed Dar of Cheerkote area of Kupwara district.
“A joint operation was launched by the Army and Kupwara police to nab the individual from general area Nutnussa and Lolab localities of Kupwara. After thorough interrogation, the individual revealed that he along with five other people from different parts of North Kashmir were running a (militant) funding racket under the garb of a fake NGO called “Islahi Falahi Relief Trust” (IFRT) which claimed to provide monetary assistance to poor and needy families,” a police spokesperson said.
“He was actively involved in coordinating the funding activities and aiding recruitment by organizing “Ijtema” meetings in different villages where he along with other members of the NGO would try and lure young people into anti-national activities,” the spokesman added.
Bilal, the spokesperson said , also “revealed the names of other accomplices including Wahid Ahmed Bhatt from Kachloo, Langate, and Javed Ahmed Najar from Singhpora, Baramulla and three persons Mushtaq Ahmed Najar of Brath Sopore and Bashir Ahmed Mir from Mundji area of Sopore. “Another individual Zubair Ahmed Dar from Cheerkote, who is Bilal’s cousin, was also actively involved in the module,” he said.
The module, the spokesman said, was being coordinated by Pakistan based handlers to aid the operations of Tehreek-e-ul Mujhahideen Jammu & Kashmir 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,” he said.
”The accounts in the NGO’s name were being used to launder money for the TuMJK. The group 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,” the spokesman said.
“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,” the police spokesperson said, adding, “the group was also actively collecting explosive materials which is known to be used in IED’s.”
“Bilal and his associates were receiving instructions from across the border from Dr Shah Sab alias Manzoor Shah alias Gen Abdullah actually named as Ghulam Rasool Shah of Hyhama Kupwara, who is a Pakistan based (militant) handler, Tariq Peer actually named Mohammad Sultan Peer of Sulkoot Kupwara also a Pakistan based (militant) handler alias Yousaf Baloch alias Osama alias Qureshi and one alias Hamza alias Mishtaq”, the spokesman added.
“Wahid Ahmed Bhatt alias Tauheed was the mastermind behind the recruitment and (militant) funding module,” he said.
”A huge quantity of arms, ammunition, raw material to prepare IED and incriminating material has also been recovered from all the apprehended persons. The recoveries include five pistols, 10 magazines, 49 pistol rounds and two grenades besides one IED,” he added.
He said 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.
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