Major terror module of Lashkar's new front busted in Kashmir

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: A major module of the newly formed terror group The Resistance Front (TRF), also known as JK Fighters, under the patronage of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, was busted in Kashmir by the Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday.

Six terrorists were arrested and a huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

Top sources said after receiving credible inputs regarding smuggling and delivery of arms and ammunition at district hospital Sopore, the police swung into action. Four different teams were constituted each headed by police officers of Rafiabad and Sopore.

All the teams reached the hospital covertly and arrested the four Sopore smugglers -- Ahtisham Farooq Malik of Mumkak Mohala Batpora, Shafqat Ali Tagoo of Jalalabad, Musaib Hassan Bhat of Mohalla Mumkak Batpora and Nisar Ahmad Ganai of Pujipora Krankshivan.

During interrogation, they revealed that they were working under a Pakistan-based person known by the name 'Andrew Jones' on Telegram messenger, whose WhatsApp ID is 'Khan Bilal'. The militants revealed that Jones is operating a newly formed terrorist organisation, The Resistance Front (TRF) or JK Fighters).

'Jones' had deputed the four militants as the main handlers for recruiting local youth for the terror group and instigating them to participate in terror activities in Kashmir valley, particularly in north.

The investigators also found that the militants received a consignment of illegal arms from Kabeer Ahmad Lone of Keran Bala, Kupwara. The arms were transported by Shafqat and Nisar from Kupwara and handed them to Ahtisham at Kupwara Crossing Sopore.

After receiving two pistols, 18 hand grenades and four pistol magazines, Ahtisham further handed over the consignment to Musaib for safe custody at his home.

After two days Ahtisham took six hand grenades and one pistol with ammunition from Musaib. Along with Shafqat, Ahtisham delivered four hand grenades and one pistol to some unknown person at Markaz Sopore, who actively joined TRF in Andergam Pattan, and two hand grenades to another unknown person near Guru Petrol Pump Sopore, who utilized them in Srinagar.

All these directions for distribution of arms and ammunition had come from the Pakistan-based 'Jones'.

The group told police that they were also going to receive a consignment of six AK-47 Rifles with ammunition from Sharafat Ahmad Khan of Keran Payeen Kupwara. Their main purpose, the militants told interrogators, was to accumulate arms and ammunition and go for target killings of politicians and police personnel.

During the course of investigation, Kabeer Ahmad Lone was identified and arrested. During his sustained interrogation, he revealed that the weapons which he delivered to Shafqat at Kupwara were provided by Sharafat Khan of Keran Bala Kupwara, a class IV employee at government hospital Keran.

The information led to the arrest of four people from Kupwara. Sharafat revealed that he along with Naseer Mir and Tanveer Bhat, both residents of Keran Kupwara, received a consignment of arms and ammunition from across and dumped it near Cobra Post, Keran, Kupwara.

Sources said further investigation is on.