New Delhi: Kashmiri militant Zakir Musa’s reported joining of Al Qaeda has set the alarm bells ringing among security forces. Agencies say Musa has no cadre to carry out any big attack immediately, but he is targeting youths in Kashmir, which is a matter of concern.
“Musa may or may not have the wherewithal to carry out anything spectacular immediately but fact is that on the ground the 12-25 age group is getting influenced by talks of radical Islam, which first Burhan and now Musa is espousing," a source told CNN news18.
Al Qaeda announced a new India front — Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind — on Thursday with Zakir Musa as its head. The Global Islamic Front, the online propaganda distribution arm of Al-Qaeda announced the appointment of Musa and said, “After the martyrdom of heroic Mujahid Burhan Wani the Jihad in Kashmir has entered a stage of awakening, as the Muslim Nation of Kashmir has committed to carry the flag of Jihad to repel the aggression of tyrant Indian invaders, and through Jihad, and with the aid of Allah only, we will liberate our homeland Kashmir. For this goal, a new movement of Jihad has been founded by the companions of martyr Burhan Wani under the leadership of Mujahid Zakir Musa."
Musa is a former Hizbul militant who had taken over after Burhan Wani’s death. Syed Salahuddin in a video message denounced Musa saying groups like Al Qaeda will damage Kashmir’s movement. “There is no scope or room for any international organization like Daesh (Islamic State) and Al Qaeda, we don’t need them nor is there any necessity for their presence. We fight for azadi and Islam. We denounce those who are creating hurdles and misguide people in the name of sharia and sahadat," Salahuddin said.
Lashkar e Toiba termed Musa’s decision to join Al Qaeda a conspiracy hatched by India’s NSA Ajit Doval. “Indian conspiracies are being foiled ever since the locals and Hurriyat leaders forged unity among themselves… groups like al-Qaida and IS are being brought up to label the legitimate freedom struggle (in Kashmir) as terrorism," LeT stated.
23 years old Musa, whose family name is Zakir Rashid Bhat, comes from a relatively well-off Kashmiri family. His father is a government engineer while brother is a surgeon. Musa himself went to Rama Devi Jindal College, Chandigarh for a BTech degree, but picked up guns on a visit home.
A senior officer in the J&K police summed up the situation by saying that Musa is not a problem but his ideology is as the youth in Kashmir is getting influenced by his radical Islamic ideology. On the question of Musa’s capabilities, the officer said, “Money attracts cadre in Kashmir. Musa at the moment is low on money and weapon."
A CRPF official in charge of operations in the valley said if the news of Musa joining al Qaeda is true then the nature of violence will change. “This would no longer be a political war where security forces are targeted. This would then become a religious war and the target would become shias and non-Muslims also," he said.
Latest figures show combined Hizbul and Lashkar cadre strength in the valley at 240. Out of this, around half are local recruits. The analysis of the forces is that this cadre won’t be available to Musa and he will have to work hard to build his own cadre. “The handlers of these 240 won’t allow them to work for Al Qaeda or Musa. They are Hizbul cadre and Salahuddin has already condemned Musa," an officer told News18.
But IB has raised the red flag about growing radicalisation in the valley. A 2015 IB report had first flagged off how Kashmiri protests are increasingly sporting ISIS flags and talking of Khilafa and not Azadi.
“With Hurriyat getting delegitimised after the terror funding crackdown, Musa may have a real chance to translate the social media support he has into actual support on the ground," an IB officer said.
Video evidence shows that when DSP Pandit was lynched in Srinagar, the crowd chanted Musa’s name.
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