Syed Salahuddin’s son had facilitated funds from Saudi for terror funding in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 31: The National Investigation Agency on Thursday arrested Syed Ahmad Shakeel, the son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin from his residence in Ram Bagh area of Srinagar, Kashmir.

The arrest was related to the terror funding case which was registered in the year 2011 in which 7 persons have so far been chargesheeted.

The case pertains to transfer of funds through Hawala Channels by the terrorists based in Pakistan to Jammu & Kashmir, in a criminal conspiracy hatched with some operatives in India, to fuel and fund the secessionist and terrorist activities in J&K.

In this case, Ghulam Mohammed Bhat alias Abdul Rehman and 3 others were chargesheeted in the year 2011. In October, 2017 accused Syed Shahid Yusuf, another son of accused Syed Salahuddin was arrested by NIA as he had received funds from the Hizbul Mujahideen from abroad and was chargesheeted in 2018. In this case, so far, three accused persons Mohd. Sidiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga have been convicted after they pleaded guilty.

During investigation, involvement of Syed Ahmad Shakeel resident of Rambagh, Srinagar had also surfaced in raising, receiving, collecting funds from terrorist organisation through its active cadres from Saudi Arabia. He had received money through Western Union several times which were sent by absconding chargesheeted accused Aijaz Ahmad Bhat.

Accused Syed Ahmad Shakeel, aged 48 years is the elder son of Syed Salahuddin, self-styled commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and he has been working as lab assistant in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS). Investigation revealed that he had also received funds from various countries from the operatives of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Accused was summoned by NIA for questioning but he did not appear. A non-bailable warrant (NBW) was earlier got issued by NIA from the NIA Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi.