SIA comes across Dubai link in terror, narco network in J&K

Dossier ready for deportation of Poonch youth

*Pumped weapons, drugs via Pak, PoJK

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) is reported to have come across Dubai link in terror funding in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch via Pakistan and PoJK. After gathering enough evidence against two border residents of Poonch presently operating from Dubai and masterminding terror funding from there, the SIA has written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for deportation of the accused through Government channel.
With India’s friendly Government at the helm in United Arab Emirates (UAE), the SIA is confident that the accused will be deported to India keeping in view “very strong evidence’’ of funding terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir against them, officials told the Excelsior.
The masterminds of terror and narco trade financing in Rajouri and Poonch districts operating from Dubai have been identified as Safdar Hussain son of Manzoor Hussain and Mohammad Iqbal son of Salaam Din, both residents of village Karmara in Poonch district.
Their conduit in Poonch district who was receiving consignments of weapons, narcotics and cash sent from Pakistan and PoJK has been identified as Mohammad Liaquat son of Mohammad Hussain, also a resident of Karmara, besides many others.
As per the officials, the Poonch inhabitants operating from Dubai had developed direct links with militant commanders in Pakistan and PoJK. They were sending funds from Dubai to PoJK based commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit besides the terror operatives in Poonch for financing militancy and narco trade.
“The Dubai-based Poonch terror operatives had gone there on valid visa documents. After an year or two, they used to visit Poonch and meet the persons associated with their network to discuss their further strategies,’’ the officials said, adding there were also reports that the duo had undertaken trips to Pakistan and PoJK for strengthening terror and narcotics network not only in Poonch and Rajouri districts but also to South Kashmir via Pir Panjal range.
Names of Dubai-based terror operatives surfaced when the SIA subjected to questioning some of the militant sympathisers detained in connection with recoveries of weaponry and narcotics in Poonch.
“The leads were pursued and subsequently enough evidence was gathered against the Dubai-based persons for running terror, hawala and drug syndicated sitting there,’’ the officials said.
They added that a detailed dossier has been prepared by the SIA and now it has been forwarded to the Home and External Affairs Ministries through proper channel for seeking deportation of the terror operatives from Dubai.
“The issue is being taken up at the appropriate levels,’’ the officials said, expressing confidence that there will be no problem in deportation of the terror operatives going by the evidence gathered against the accused and Indian-friendly Government at the UAE.
The officials said interrogation of Dubai-based youth may give more leads on terror operatives active in UAE or other Gulf nations who are running terror and narco networks from there in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of Pakistan and PoJK.
The officials pointed out that the Dubai-based men were also linked to a major consignment of narcotics and weaponry recovered in Sunderbani and Poonch respectively in which five militant associates have been arrested.