J&K: NIA files charge sheet against 3 in Kulgam LeT terror recruitment case

NIA officials said accused Muneeb Hameed Bhat, Junaid Ahmad Mattoo and Umer Rashid Wani, all residents of Kulgam district, have been charged for their subversive activities as members of LeT in Kulgam district.

Mattoo and Wani have already been killed in separate encounters in 2017 and 2018 respectively, they added.

“The accused were found trying to motivate local youth to join Lashkar-e-Taiba and organizing their travel to Pakistan for terrorist training on the basis of valid travel documents on the recommendation of separatist leaders,” the probe agency said.

This case arose out of an FIR dated November 9, 2017 registered at Kulgam Police Station and the NIA took over this case on September 25, 2018 and started probe.

“Investigation by NIA established that LeT terrorist Junaid Ahmad Mattoo motivated accused Muneeb Hameed Bhat to join LeT and go to Pakistan for terrorist training. Another LeT terrorist Umer Rashid Wani gave him funds to meet the expenses of his Pakistan visit", NIA said in the charge sheet.

In July-August 2017, accused Muneeb Hameed Bhat visited Pakistan on valid travel documents for terrorist training with the assistance of separatist leaders and he was imparted weapons training and also training for using secret social media chat platforms, the agency officials said.

“After returning from Pakistan, Bhat remained constantly in touch with LeT handlers in Pakistan and active militants of Kulgam area on secret messaging platforms for carrying out subversive and terrorist activities in Kashmir Valley. He was working as a sleeper cell of LeT and further intended to join the militant ranks in banned terrorist organisation LeT,” they added.

“It also established that during the year 2016 to 2018, many Kashmiri youth were sent by separatist leaders to Pakistan on Valid Travel Documents for getting terrorist training with active assistance of the commanders of militant groups.

These youth got terrorist training in the terrorist camps of Pakistan for periods ranging from 5 to 15 days and after returning, they were initially used as sleeper cells and subsequently recruited for active militancy,” the official said, the NIA said, adding that the further investigation in this case is underway.