Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 15: In what could be a matter of concern for the security forces operating in Kashmir, the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander arrested by security forces yesterday has revealed that the outfit is recruiting Fidayeen squads in the Valley.
Major General J S Nain, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Baramulla Division, told reporters during a press conference today that JeM is recruiting local youth as Fidayeen. He said that recruiting youth in Kashmir for suicide missions is something new and a matter of serious concern.
“This is a new thing which has come to the fore as it is for the first time that a group has come for recruitment to the Valley for its Fidayeen squad. This is a serious matter”, said the GOC.
Major General Nain said that arrest of JeM commander, Abdul Rehman is a major success and security forces can launch intelligence based operations at his disclosures. “So, this is a huge success for security forces and whatever information we get from him. We can then launch operations based on that intelligence,” he said.
The GOC said that the Rehman along with four other JeM militants infiltrated in January this year and the group spread and he was tasked to prepare a Fidayeen module to carry out a big Fidayeen attack in Kashmir. “They hid in forest areas for one or two months and then this group spread and Rehman was assigned the responsibility of Baramulla, Sopore and areas near them to recruit for JeM and prepare a module for it and the overall aim was to carry big ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attacks,” he added.
Major General Nain said that arrest of Rehman is a big success. “A special joint operation was conducted with police, in which a Pakistani terrorist Abdul Rehman, who belongs to JeM cadre, has been arrested alive. It is a huge success because we are hopeful of getting important information from him when we interrogate him,” he said.
The GOC said the operation spanned two months, with the security forces keeping a track of Rehman’s movement in the Valley before finally arresting him from a forest area near Old Town of Baramulla on Friday. “We tracked his movement. He came to Baramulla seven times. He tried recruiting people in Baramulla, Sopore and Kupwara,” he said.
“He told us that he took training at Balakote training camp in Pakistan under ISI’s guidance for three-four months. Then in January he infiltrated into India along with his four companions,” Major General Nain said.
The GOC said an Aadhaar card has been recovered from Rehman’s possession in the name of Shabir Ahmad Khan and if the card turns out to be genuine, it is a “matter of concern” for the security agencies. “In fact all the five terrorists were given an Aadhaar card each when they entered the Valley”, he added.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel