Chief spokesman and most wanted HM commander arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 3 (UNI) In a major breakthrough, the Jammu and Kashmir Police today arrested the chief spokesman of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for north Kashmir B Srinivasan told reporters here Abdul Khaliq Dar alias Junaid-ul-Islam--who was active since 1990-- was arrested this morning.

Terming it a major success for the police, he said with the arrest of Junaid, the HM has suffered yet another blow.

The arrest of Junaid was made two days after two top commanders of the same outfit Khalil-ul-Rehman and Fazul Rehman were nabbed in Handwara in north Kashmir.

Mr Srinivasan said besides operating as the chief spokesman for the HM, Junaid was involved in motivating and recruiting innocent youth of the valley into the outfit.

The DIG said he was the oldest cadre of the HM, who had crossed into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) for receiving arms training in 1990.

However, he associated himself with the media and was broadcasting anti-India propaganda through Sada-i-Hurriyat radio from Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK.

Mr Srinivasan said since his return from PoK in 2003, he was functioning as chief spokesman of the HM. Junaid had issued a series of objectionable and provocative press releases to the media.

He was also behind a number of militant attacks in the Kashmir Valley.

The DIG said Junaid was closely associated with top commanders of the HM, including United Jehad Council and HM supreme commander Syed Salahuddin, presently in PoK, Shamshul Haq, Gazi Naseer Uddin, Amir Khan and others.

About a dozen top HM commanders were killed and arrested in the Valley during the last one week.

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