Hizbul Mujahideen chief warns of suicide attacks

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has warned of "large-scale" suicide attacks if the international community, particularly the US, does not step in to resolve the long-running row over Kashmir.

"If the international community, particularly the US, does not take steps to rescue us from India's state terrorism and there is no let-up in the killing of children, molestation of women, looting and arson of properties, the Hizbul Mujahideen will be compelled to shortly launch fidayeen (suicide) attacks," Salahuddin said.

The Hizbul Mujahideen leader also supported the use of suicide attacks, terming them "legitimate under the mujahideen's code of conduct."

Militants have regularly used suicide attacks against Indian security forces. Twelve Indian soldiers were killed in fidayeen attack in Jammu on June 28.

Salahuddin said the attackers were mujahideen (holy warriors), but were not from his group.

"What is the alternative for the Kashmiris when the United States does not help them, the international community is silent on their systematic massacre and Pakistan is being stopped from extending any aid to them?"

"The Indian army is killing the Kashmiris and when we kill them, it is dubbed as terrorism. This is unfortunate and unfair," he added.

Salahuddin said his group had never been involved in civilian or communal killings, "but the military personnel and installations are our target."

The Hizb leader’s comments on United States mediation are in sharp contrast to the position taken by Maulana Abbas Ansari, the new chief of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference — an amalgam of some 23 Kashmiri parties.

The Hurriyat leader on Sunday said he was opposed to any American mediation for the resolution of the dispute.That statement seems to mark a major shift of stand on the part of the Hurriyat Conference.

HTC adds from Srinagar: Six Hizbul Mujahideen cadres were killed across the Kashmir valley in three separate incidents on Tuesday.

Sources said security forces and militants clashed in Kupwara's Lolab valley early on Tuesday morning.

The encounter lasted for two hours. Four bodies were later recovered from the site of the encounter. Sources said they were activists of the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Another Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in a separate incident at Dodhipora village in the same district. The sixth militant was shot dead in Shopian of south Kashmir.

IN addition to the usual shootings and firefights, this beheading occurred recently....

PDP activist shot dead
ASI’s head chopped off in Kulgam

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 9: Militants have gunned down a retired Police Inspector, who was working as a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kulgam area of south Kashmir during last night. In the same area, militants have struck terror while kidnapping incharge of a Police post and chopping off his head in the premises of a Higher Secondary School.

Informed sources in south Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that two unidentified gun men intruded into the house of one Mohammad Abdullah Shah, a retired Police Inspector, at Chansar village in Kulgam area last evening. They asked Shah to follow them. However, he as well as his wife offered some resistance. Yet another gunman, who was outside, fired upon Shah and left him critically wounded. He was rushed to Sub District Hospital of Kulgam, where doctors declared him brought dead.

After his retirement from Police service, Shah had joined Chief Minister Mufti Mohammmad Sayeed’s PDP and he had emerged as an activist of the same political party in Chansar area. However, it was not immediately clear whether his political affiliation became cause of his assassination or there was some other factor behind the killing.

In a ghastly incident, militants kidnapped incharge of Yaripora (Kulgam) Police Post, ASI Ghulam Hassan Rishi alias Hassan Pistol S/o Ghulam Nabi Rishi R/o Sungus Sheikh Gund, Kulgam, and chopped off his head with a butcher’s knife at Government Higher Secondary School, in the same village, late last night.

Enquiries revealed that a released militant of Hizbul Mujahideen, namely Rayees of Yaripora, visited Yaripora Police Post twice on Tuesday. In the evening, he met the ASI and told him that militants had called him to a resident’s house for "some urgent work". After some time, ASI set out and told his Munshi that he would be staying for the night at the residence of Rayees. He had visited Rayees’s house a number of times and stayed there. Rayee has two sisters and mother in his family.

In the morning today, ASI’s torso and head were found in the premises of Higher Secondary School. His head had been chopped off ruthlessly with a butcher’s knife. Police seized the dead body and picked up Rayees as well as the Chowkidar of the school for questioning.

During sustained interrogation, Chowkidar maintained that he was not present on duty during last night. Rayees divulged that a group of militants had approached him and asked him to call the ASI to a particular place. When he called on the Police Post, he learnt that the ASI had gone to Srinagar to see his second wife. He visited the Police Post again and next day he met the ASI, who was his intimate acquaintance. According to Rayees, the ASI assured him that he would reach his home at 8.00 p.m and thereafter they would go to meet the militants. Minutes after the ASI reached Rayees’s home, militants appeared and kidnapped him. However, Rayees was let off. After severe physical torture under a cluster of Chinar trees at the school premises, the ASI’s hands were tied to his back and his head was chopped off.

Officials, who could be reached for comments on telephone, confirmed that the ASI had helped Army in conducting a number of counter-insurgency operations. As many as 31 militants have been killed by Police and security forces in Kulgam area in the last three months. Officials suspect that Rayees was also involved in the assassination. They are investigating what kind of relationship had emerged between the former militant’s family and the ASI.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.