Statements of surrendered jihadist terrorists have confirmed the involvement of Malayalis in the recruitment of youngsters from Kerala for training at a terror camp in Lolab forests of Kashmir.
A copy of the statements dated October 8, 2008, which is in the possession of ‘Express’, reveals the root map of Kashmir recruitment. The NIA recorded statements of these people keeping their identities anonymous.
According to the documents, in September 2008, five Keralites -- Fayas, Fayis, Muhammed Yasin, Abdul Rahim and Abdul Jabbar alias Anoop -- were brought to Margi at Lolab by a woman called Parveen, who was an LeT operative. One of the witnesses stated that Abdul Rahim was the leader of the team. He had told them that they had to go to Pakistan for further training and thereafter return to Kerala to engage themselves in terrorist and anti-national activities.
The witnesses also said Thadiyantavide Nazeer was instrumental in sending Keralites to Kashmir and further to Pakistan for jihadist training. “Rahim used to talk to Nazeer and others from Lolab forest using the mobile phone given by LeT operators from Pakistan. We also came to know from Rahim that around 180 persons in Kerala were ready to join the jihadist group,” the witnesses deposed.
They also submitted that the first encounter took place during the early hours of October 5, 2008, in which two Keralites -- Mohammed Yasin and Fayas -- died. “The military got Yasin’s body on the same day while and Fayas’ body was spotted the next day. The rest, including us, ran away and stayed in hideouts in the Lolab jungle. In the night of October 10, when around 11 of us were in search of food, an encounter took place with the Armed Forces. Three of us -- Abdul Rahim and Fayis, both Keralites, and Abu Hafiz, a Pakistani -- died in the encounter,” the statement said. Abdul Jabbar escaped and returned to Kerala.
The witnesses submitted that they found life very difficult after the encounter and they decided to surrender before the police. One of the witnesses, named ‘B’, deposed that the Keralites and others were taught to use AK-47 and AK- 56. “We were also given training on handling grenades. We had been indoctrinated that we, the Muslims, are brothers and should join our hands and fight against the Government of India,” he stated.
Besides, the NIA also succeeded in producing the most crucial evidence in the case, the four AK-47 rifles used by the Malayali terrorists who were killed in an encounter with security forces. The rifles, jackets used by them and other materials seized from their body have been brought to Kochi.
According to NIA sources, this was the turning point in the trial of the Kashmir recruitment case. NIA officials pointed out that it took effort in revealing the identity of the four youths before the court.
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