LoC trade money used to finance LeT in J-K

Jammu: Some people associated with cross-LoC trade are indulging in providing 'hawala' money to Lashkar-e-Toiba militants for terror activities in Kashmir Valley, police have claimed.

This came to light following the arrest of five people in a case in which Rs 13,85,000 obtained from sale of goods sent from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was allegedly distributed among terrorists and others associated with LeT outfit for terrorist activities in the Valley, they said.

"Some people linked with cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and PoK have been found indulging in providing hawala money and helping terrorists involved in anti-national activities and terrorism," police officials told PTI.

On October 4, 2009, Police station Sadar in Srinagar received a docket to the effect that an active member of LeT Mushtaq Ahmed Lone of Budgam, with the help of his associates Pakistani militant commander Furqan and a local

terrorist Mehmood Ahmad Dar of Kulgam-- who have been in PoK for last 18 years, are sending trade items and grains through a firm Sartaj Traders in Purkhoo area of Jammu city, they said.

The amount of Rs 13,85,000 obtained from selling these items was distributed among LeT terrorists and their associates to spread terrorist activities in valley, they said.

A case was registered and five persons- Mushtaq Ahmed Lone (Budgam district), Vipin Kumar (Punjab), Suraj Parkash (owner of Sartaj Trader, Jammu), Sanjeev Tandon (Punjab) and Zahoor Ahmed Dar (Kulgam district)-- were arrested and investigation are on, they said.

The trade is being monitored by security agencies, who have also recovered SIM cards from the possession of some truck drivers as well as travellers at Chakan-da-Bagh crossing point in Poonch during frisking and checking. These have been sent to Zonal Police Headquarters for further investigations.

Goods worth Rs 272.13 crore have traded via two LoC cross points of Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh in Baramulla and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir since October 21, 2008 when the cross border trade between J&K and PoK was started.

While, goods worth Rs 160.21 crore were brought from PoK, those worth Rs 111.92 crore were sent from J&K during the period, they said.