Terror module busted in Kupwara, six persons held

Srinagar, Nov 10: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday claimed to have busted deep-rooted terror funding and recruitment module in Kupwara district of north Kashmir.
Six persons have been arrested so far and more arrests are expected in the case, officials said.
Addressing the presser, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Yugal Manhas said the joint party of Police, Army’s 21 RR and 47 RR busted a terror module, who was easily collecting funds and recruiting youth in terror ranks through their NGO.
“Six persons have been arrested so far,” he said, adding that more arrests are expected in the case.
SSP Manhas said following specific inputs regarding an individual namely Bilal Ahmed Dar hailing from Cheerkote area of Kupwara was about to drop a consignment , a joint operation was launched to nab the individual from Nutnussa and Lolab areas of Kupwara.
“After interrogation, he revealed that he along with five associates from different parts of north Kashmir were running a terror 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,” he said.
The SSP said Dar later revealed the names of other accomplices including ‘Wahid Ahmed Bhatt’ from Kachloo, Langate, Javed Ahmed Najar from Singhpora, Baramulla, and 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.
“Wahid Ahmed Bhatt@ Tauheed’ was the mastermind behind the recruitment and terror funding module,” the SSP said.
The SSP said Dar 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.
“The module was being coordinated by Pakistan-based handlers to aid the operations of “Tehreek-e-ul Mujahideen Jammu & Kashmir” (TuMJK) in north Kashmir,” he said.
As per SSP Manhas, the modus operandi of this group was to go to different villages and conduct events and gatherings under the garb of the NGO and collect money by asking for charity and also scout for potential soft targets as recruits.
“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 August and during the visit of the Union Home Minister of India to Baramulla,” he said.
SSP Manhas also stated that Bilal also admitted that he hoisted the Pakistani flag inside Markazi Jamia Masjid Kupwara on the 14th August on the instructions of his Pakistani handlers.
“The group was also actively collecting explosive material which is known to be used in IEDs. Dar and his associates were receiving instructions from across the border from Dr. Shah Sab@ Manzoor Shah @ Gen Abdullah actually named Ghulam Rasool Shah of Hyhama Kupwara and Tariq Peer ( Mohd Sultan Peer )of Sulkoot Kupwara both Pakistan-based terrorist handlers.
The SSP said they have recovered 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, 10 magazines, 49 pistol ammunition, two grenades and one IED were recovered from them, he said.
Meanwhile, police have registered 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.