NEW DELHI: Letters written to Hurriyat members on Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba letterheads, recovered by NIA during raids, reveal that terror funding in the Valley could be a two-way phenomenon, with LeT and HM cadres turning to separatists for finances from time to time.
The demands made on Hurriyat separatists by local LeT and Hizbul terrorists, citing dire need of finances on account of illness of fellow cadres and other problems, range from a few thousand rupees to lakhs and include mobile phones as well.
Several Hurriyat members are currently in NIA custody for allegedly funding civil unrest in Kashmir through active financial support from terror groups in Pakistan.
Perhaps the most interesting of these letters, copies of which are in TOI's possession, is the one from one Mohd Amin Bhat, demanding Rs 5 lakh from Ayaz Akbar Khandey, a close aide of Tehreek-e Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The letter, written on 'The Jammu & Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen' letterhead, says Rs 5 lakh is urgently needed to tide over the immediate financial crunch arising out of demonetisation. It starts as a "request", saying how extinguishing of old high-denomination currency has stopped "payments from outside", but ends on a threatening note, asking Khandey to turn in the money in four days or face consequences that would extend to his family. Khandey is among the seven separatists arrested by NIA on Monday.
The post-demonetisation demand note in Urdu, carrying the signature and stamp of HM, when translated into English, reads: "We are in dire need of money at this time as we are not getting payments from outside due to present (security) situation and demonetisation. Your money will be returned on February 30. Inshallah we will wait for you for four days. If you do anything, then you'll be responsible for yourself and family".
NIA recovered another HM letter, written by area commander Burkan on March 17, 2006, to Shabir Shah's aide Nayeem Khan, who is now in NIA custody. It says: "We are in dire need of Rs 7,000 or Rs 10,000. Also if you can leave a mobile phone with us...".
A third letter written by LeT's J&K unit to Hurriyat members, stated: "...Our friend is unwell and he is in dire need of Rs 5,000. We hope you won't disappoint us...". This letter was recovered from Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-led moderate Hurriyat Conference.
It is written on LeT letterhead, mentions the Muzaffarabad "branch office" apart from a Karachi address, and carries the mobile number and email address of the LeT operative.
NIA raids also found "incriminating" photos of Shahidul-Islam with HM chief Syed Salahuddin and one in which he is wielding an AK-47 assault rifle posing with other armed men.
The demands made on Hurriyat separatists by local LeT and Hizbul terrorists, citing dire need of finances on account of illness of fellow cadres and other problems, range from a few thousand rupees to lakhs and include mobile phones as well.
Several Hurriyat members are currently in NIA custody for allegedly funding civil unrest in Kashmir through active financial support from terror groups in Pakistan.
Perhaps the most interesting of these letters, copies of which are in TOI's possession, is the one from one Mohd Amin Bhat, demanding Rs 5 lakh from Ayaz Akbar Khandey, a close aide of Tehreek-e Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The letter, written on 'The Jammu & Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen' letterhead, says Rs 5 lakh is urgently needed to tide over the immediate financial crunch arising out of demonetisation. It starts as a "request", saying how extinguishing of old high-denomination currency has stopped "payments from outside", but ends on a threatening note, asking Khandey to turn in the money in four days or face consequences that would extend to his family. Khandey is among the seven separatists arrested by NIA on Monday.
The post-demonetisation demand note in Urdu, carrying the signature and stamp of HM, when translated into English, reads: "We are in dire need of money at this time as we are not getting payments from outside due to present (security) situation and demonetisation. Your money will be returned on February 30. Inshallah we will wait for you for four days. If you do anything, then you'll be responsible for yourself and family".
NIA recovered another HM letter, written by area commander Burkan on March 17, 2006, to Shabir Shah's aide Nayeem Khan, who is now in NIA custody. It says: "We are in dire need of Rs 7,000 or Rs 10,000. Also if you can leave a mobile phone with us...".
A third letter written by LeT's J&K unit to Hurriyat members, stated: "...Our friend is unwell and he is in dire need of Rs 5,000. We hope you won't disappoint us...". This letter was recovered from Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-led moderate Hurriyat Conference.
It is written on LeT letterhead, mentions the Muzaffarabad "branch office" apart from a Karachi address, and carries the mobile number and email address of the LeT operative.
NIA raids also found "incriminating" photos of Shahidul-Islam with HM chief Syed Salahuddin and one in which he is wielding an AK-47 assault rifle posing with other armed men.
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