Al Qaeda operative in video our son: Kashmir family

Srinagar, Nov 22: A family in south Kashmir has confirmed that the Al Qaeda operative killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan's north Waziristan earlier this year was their son.

According to a family of Nagam village in Anantnag district, the Al Qaeda operative shown in a video released by the publicity wing of the terror organisation, is their son Muhammad Ashraf Dar.

Talking to reporters, Dar's brother, Nazir Ahmad on Saturday said that the video released last week by 'As-Sahab', media arm of Al Qaeda branch of Indian sub-continent (AQIS) showed his brother Muhammad Ashraf.

The Al Qaeda operative was killed on January 5, 2015 in a US drone attack in north Waziristan and the terror group later released the video showing Ashraf Dar speaking to others in the group to eulogize the slain operatives.

The video had said that the recruit belonged to 'Islamabad area of Kashmir'.

South Kashmir's Anantnag district is also called 'Islamabad district' in Kashmir Valley.

A few days back, police had approached the family to show the video that featured their son, Ashraf Dar's father Gulam Ahmad Dar said.

The family confirmed that Dar, then 15-year-old, had crossed over to Pakistan administered part of Kashmir in 2001 to acquire training in firearms as a Hizbul Mujahideen cadre.

"He used to speak to us on phone till December 2014 asking about the family welfare," Dar's brother has confirmed.

Police here are, however, tight-lipped about the developments.

"Yes, there is resemblance with the local youth in the video, but we do not have enough evidence to confirm that the Al Qaeda operative shown in the video is the missing youth from Anantnag district," a senior police officer told IANS here.

IANS