ISI created TRF to give itself, Lashkar plausible deniability for attacks in J&K

New Delhi, Sep 22: On Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency conducted raids at 8 locations in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, Baramulla, Kulgam, Srinagar, Doda and Kishtwar Districts.

The NIA said that the probe revealed that Pakistan based handlers of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and their associates based in Jammu and Kashmir are planning terrorist activities. It further said that they were planning on using the pseudo-acronym The Resistance Front so as to maintain plausible deniability.

The case on hand relates to the recovery of 5 kilograms of IED from a terrorist of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba at Bathindi in Jammu on June 27 2021. It was learnt that the the Lashkar-e-Tayiba wanted to cause an explosion in Jammu using the IED.

The Resistance Front or the TRF was formed around March 2020. The first time that the police came to know about the TRF when a module was busted on April 23 2020 at Sopore. The police had said back that it was a proxy of the Lashkar.

A senior security official tells OneIndia that this group is the Lashkar-e-Tayiba which is operating under a new name. It is an age old trick of these groups to change names so that there is an element of surprise for the security agencies.

The group has also indulged in plenty of propaganda activity. On the groups, the members speak about the need to increase the resistance in Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the Centre on August 5, 2019, withdrew the special status.

The TRF also goes by the name JK Fighters. Following the Sopore raid, the police arrested four persons-Ahtisham Farooq Malik, Shafqat Ali Tagoo, Musaib Hassan Bhat and Nisar Ahmad Ganai. A police official who questioned the four said that they were reporting to their handler in Pakistan. He goes by the name Andrew Jones and on the group, he operates under the ID of Khan Bilal. The group is called as TRF/JK Fighters-The Resistance Front.

Officials say that the group is used to recruit local youth for terror-related activities, especially in North Kashmir. There are messages on the group, which clearly instigate the locals into taking up arms and fighting the Indian forces.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that the group is a proxy and intends focusing on recruiting local youth. As pointed out by the NIA, the ISI has formed this group and the intent is to strike using a pseudo-acronym. This would give Pakistan plausible deniability, the officer also explained. It would also keep the heat away from the Lashkar and the ISI especially in the wake of the recent developments at the Financial Action Task Force.

Earlier this year the TRF targeted people citing the new domicile law. A Jammu and Kashmir based Punjabi jeweller was shot dead in Srinagar. He was based in J&K for the past four decades and was shot dead by motor-cycle borne terrorists in the city's Sarai Bala locality.

The TRF said that the domicile law was not acceptable and everyone other than indigenous Kashmiris would be treated as occupiers if they acquire property in Jammu and Kashmir.

Satpal Nischal who was shot dead in the congested Sarai Bala area got a domicile certificate. He became the first domicile holder to be targeted by terrorists since the new law took effect. He was the owner of Nischal Jewellers in Srinagar and the police said that he took three bullets on his chest. After getting the domicile certificate, he purchased a shot at the Hanuman Mandir in Srinagar and a house at Indira Nagar.