Several militants wait ''suitable opportunity'' to surrender arms
Jammu, Apr 10 (UNI) Local cadre of Pakistan-aided militant outfits are looking for ''suitable opportunity'' to lay down their weapons and join the mainstream in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing continuous violence since 1989, intelligence sources said.
''After their past experiences, militants of various outfits, like Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and Harkat-ul Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI), who are active in various rural parts of the state, have developed a feeling of confidence in government's rehabilitation plans,'' the sources said, adding that they are still looking for a ''suitable opportunity to surrender''.
A top HM militant Rouf Ahmad alias Ghazi alias Azad, who had surrendered before 4 Rashtriya Rifles two days back, told UNI that many of the militants have started realising that their Pakistan-based leader Sayed Salahuddin are using them for ''political gains''.
Rouf, a weapon expert of the HM, said that they were ''shown the green picture of freedom and directed to kill people.'' ''But the one, who becomes effective in the outfit, gets killed by others within the outfit,'' he said, alleging that they had come across several examples that ''their leaders were exploiting them''.
Rouf, however said that militant were not willing to surrender to police because they did not have ''faith'' in them.
''Even we face undue harassment if we surrender to the Army,'' he claimed.
''I was planning to surrender along with weapons last year but could not do so because of police'' he added.
Four HuJI militants, including their commander Ashiq Hussian alias Zar, who had surrendered before 26 Rashtriya Rifles on April 4 this year, also expressed similar views.
Ashiq Hussain, who remained active for seven years in Kishtwar, Ramban and Doda districts, told UNI that also wanted to surrender in 2006, during which as many as 25 militants laid down their weapons before security forces.
''I had made my mind to surrender when two LeT militants lay down their arms two months after 10 HM cadres in January 2007.
But I changed my mind when some of surrendered militants were arrested by police'' he said.
Intelligence sources, however, revealed that they were getting inputs about many militants in Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi and Rajouri, making up their mind to surrender. ''Even we are trying to approach them via their friends, parents and relatives and persuade'' an intelligence official said.
Sources said many militants were expected to follow the move if ''given all out support by security agencies''.
However, the sources also admitted surrendered militants face harassment at the hands of police.
Meanwhile, locals also allege that due to the police and administration's apathy, ''misguided youths'' are not feeling free to come back and join the mainstream.
UNI