Srinagar, March 19: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has convicted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masrat Alam and others in a case of anti-national activities, terrorists and separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
The court has ordered framing of charges against others under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The court also ordered framing of charges against Kashmiri politician and former MLA Engineer Rashid, businessman Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali, Bitta Karate, Aftab Ahmed Shah, Avtar Ahmed Shah, Naeem Khan, Bashir Ahmed Bhat, alias Peer Saifullah and many others. . These sections include criminal conspiracy, waging war against the country, illegal activities etc.
Earlier, the NIA Special Judge Praveen Singh, in an order passed on March 16, said the statements of witnesses and documentary evidence have linked almost all the accused with each other for the purpose of separation. All of these were aimed at exercising links with terrorist and terrorist organizations under funding from Pakistan under the guidance of Pakistan. During the debate none of the accused argued that they personally have no separatist ideology or agenda.
Witness after witness testified that after the split of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, its faction and the JLL had only one objective to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India. The witnesses have linked the accused Shabir Shah, Yasin Malik, Zahoor Ahmed Shah Batali, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate to All Party Hurriyat Conference and JRL. Other witnesses linked Engineer Rasheed to Zahoor Ahmad Shah Batali with All Party Hurriyat Conference and agencies of Pakistan.
