The Jammu Kashmir Police on Thursday claimed to arrest militants funding and recruitment module, and also have recovered arms and ammunition from, north Kashmir’s Kupwara, a police spokesperson said.
According to a statement issued, a police spokesperson said that in a major success against the perpetrators of militants in Kashmir, Kupwara Police along with Army’s 21 RR and 47 RR busted a deep-rooted militants funding and recruitment module running in North Kashmir.
“After receiving multiple inputs regarding an individual namely Bilal Ahmed Dar hailing from 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 militants 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,” said the spokesperson.
“He was actively involved in coordinating the funding for terror 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. Bilal also revealed the names of other accomplices including ‘Wahid Ahmed Bhatt’ from Kachloo, Langet, and Javed Ahmed Najar from Singhpora, Baramulla and three individuals namely Mushtaq Ahmed Najar of Brath Sopore and Bashir Ahmed Mir from Mundji area of Sopore. Another individual namely ‘Zubair Ahmed Dar’ from Cheerkote, who is Bilal’s cousin, was also actively involved in the module,” he said.
“The module 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,” he added.
“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 Baramullah. 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,” said the spokesperson.
He further added that, “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@ Manzoor Shah @ Gen Abdullah actually named as Ghulam Rasool Shah of Hyhama Kupwara, who is a Pakistan based militant handler, Tariq Peer actually named Mohd Sultan Peer of Sulkoot Kupwara also a Pakistan based terrorist handler, @ Yousaf Baloch , @Osama , @ Qureshi and one @Hamza @ Mishtaq . Wahid Ahmed Bhatt@ Tauheed’ was the mastermind behind the recruitment and terror funding module. A huge quantity of arms, ammunition, raw material to prepare IED and incriminating material has also been recovered from all the apprehended individuals. Five pistols, Ten Magazines, 49 pistol ammunition, Two grenades and one IED.”
Moreover, “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.