NEW DELHI: The Al Qaeda has restructured its organisational apparatus in India, with one unit being dedicated to terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the other to subversive actions in the rest of India.
The terror outfit has also released a video exhorting Muslims in the uniformed services in India to join their fold, where they can continue to fight while practising Islam.
As part of the internal restructuring, the outfit designated for Jammu and Kashmir has been named Al Qaeda Kashmir (AQK), to be led by Zakir Musa, who has been operating in the Valley under the banner of Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind after breaking away from Hizbul Mujahideen last year.
Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), headed by Maulana Asim Umar alias Sanaul Haque, will carry forward the terror agenda of the outfit in the rest of the country. “The AQK has also been given responsibility for training radicalised youth for terror operations in the Valley and beyond.
The Musa-led group has so far motivated 15-20 Kashmiris to join its ranks for so-called jihad and to fight for the Rohingyas in Rakhine state of Myanmar,” a senior Intelligence official said.
“Given the kind of reactions from the Valley on social media over the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the AQK may even radicalise and recruit youth for carrying out jihad for liberation of Palestine from Israel,” counterterrorism expert Dr Rituraj Mate said.
The AQIS’ latest propaganda video highlights the case of aircraftsman Ansari Aftab Ahmed, who was dismissed from the Indian Air Force for sporting a beard despite being denied permission to grow facial hair.
Through the video, the outfit has sought to question the secular ethos of the country and the armed forces by highlighting that Sikhs in the armed forces are allowed to keep a beard but Muslims are not.
Ahmed had approached the Supreme court seeking parity with Sikh soldiers, contending that keeping a beard was part of his fundamental right to practice religion. The court, however, ruled that keeping a beard was optional in Islam and all Muslims do not grow facial hair.
The court also held that denial of permission to grow a beard did not infringe on fundamental rights and Muslims in the disciplined forces could not keep a beard citing their religion.