New Delhi: After banning the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of Jama’at-e-Islami for five years under anti-terror law, is the government now moving to ban the All India Hurriyat Conference under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act?
Government officials indicate that the move is under consideration. "The fight against terrorism has now entered the most decisive phase," an official told News18 on condition of anonymity.
The notification banning the Jama’at-e-Islami group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was issued by the ministry of home affairs after a high-level meeting on security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
The notification said the Centre is of the opinion that the Jama’at is "in close touch with militant outfits" and is supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.
According to the official News18 spoke to, the decision to ban JeI (JK) was taken as “it is responsible for formation of Hizbul Mujahideen and providing support to the terror group in terms of recruits, funding, shelter, logistics etc… In a way, Hizbul Mujahideen is a militant wing of the JeI (JK)."
Syed Sallahudin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, had contested the 1987 assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on a Muslim United Front ticket, in which the JeI (JK) was a key constituent.
Asked about Hurriyat, the official said the JeI (JK) is the “brain behind All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC)”, alleging that the Hurriyat is a conglomerate of organisations with separatist and terrorist leanings, which has been supporting Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. "JeI (JK) was instrumental behind Hurriyat with the support of Pakistan," the official said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had this week carried out searches at seven locations, including on the premises of some separatist leaders like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in connection with a case related to funding of terrorist and separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir.
The agency said it recovered "high-tech internet communication setup" from the residence of the Mirwaiz.
It also claimed to have recovered letter heads of terrorist groups and visa recommendation letters for admission in Pakistan-based educational institutions from several locations.
Residences of Naseem Geelani, son of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and Ashraf Sehrai, chairman of Tehrek-e-Hurriyat, were among the other separatist leaders whose residences were raided by the NIA team, accompanied by local police and CRPF personnel, officials had said.
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