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The NIA has uncovered evidence linking The Resistance Front’s funding to a hawala network routed through Malaysia, with suspects raising over Rs 9 lakh for the outfit.
A security personnel stands guard at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters, in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed fresh evidence in its probe against The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which had initially claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack but later withdrew the claim.
According to the details, a Srinagar-based individual’s mobile phone, with more than 450 contacts, has provided leads to the NIA, helping the probe agency identify the ones funding the TRF.
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While some of the contacts on the mobile phone’s directory are under probe in other terror cases, the NIA is looking at the possibility of a hawala route via Malaysia, which may have been used to fund the TRF.
According to IANS, the NIA, during its probe, came across the name of one Sajad Ahmed Mir, a resident of Malaysia. Meanwhile, phone calls details of another suspect, identified as Yasir Hayat, revealed that he was in touch with Mir to arrange for the funds.
It was also revealed that Hayat made several visits to Malaysia to arrange for funds, the report claimed.
It also stated that Hayat, with Mir’s help, also raised Rs 9 lakh for the TRF, and the money was given to another operative, identified as Shafat Wani, who runs the activities of the outfit.
Wani, who is a key operative of the TRF, is also said to have visited Malaysia on the pretext of attending a conference at a university there. The university had, however, not sponsored this visit, the report claimed.
The NIA also learnt that Hayat, apart from staying in touch with Mir, was in contact with two Pakistani nationals.
His activities were all about raising funds, and the probe suggested that his job was to be in touch with foreign operatives and raise money for the terror outfit.
On August 13, the NIA had said that it had uncovered a foreign trail of funds that was being probed extensively.
THE RESISTANCE FRONT
A proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the TRF was formed and projected as a local outfit from Jammu and Kashmir. The group was formed in 2019 to replace the Hizbul Mujahideen and also give a fresh identity to local terror activities, IANS reported.
The outfit was also meant to give both Pakistan and the Lashkar-e-Taiba a deniability factor. The intention was to project the fight in Kashmir as a localised one. Moreover, Pakistan wanted terror attacks to continue without coming under the scrutiny of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
India considers TRF a terrorist organisation and accuses Pakistan of supporting it.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the United States declared The Resistance Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity, which came as a huge blow for Pakistan, as the move exposed its terror playbook.
ALSO READ | On TRF Terror Tag, China Says It’s Against All Forms Of Terrorism: ‘We Condemn Pahalgam Attack’
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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