J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Pal Vaid. ANI File photo
Saying a terrorist is a terrorist regardless of his organisation, Jammu and Kashmir police chief on Friday said that they would investigate the reports of the arrival of international terror organisation al-Qaida in the state.
“A terrorist is a terrorist, whichever tanzeem (outfit) he belongs. Somebody who has picked up a gun is a militant for us. We will investigate the arrival of al-Qaeda in Kashmir," J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Pal Vaid told reporters here.
The DGP's assertions came a day after the al-Qaeda Thursday officially announced the establishment of its unit in Jammu and Kashmir, naming former Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa as its chief in the state.
The announcement was made by the Global Islamic Media Front, a media wing of Al Qaeda and its allied jihadist groups across the world. The Al-Qaeda online propaganda wing disseminated a statement on social media, declaring Musa, a close aide of slain militant commander Burhan Wani, as its leader in Kashmir.
The State police chief also dismissed the rumours that local police tried to hamper arrest and transfer of separatist leaders to Delhi by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) saying, that all the law enforcing agencies work in tandem in Kashmir.”
“All law enforcement agencies work in unison. We did support NIA when raids were conducted. J&K Police was with them” he said in the backdrop of reports that the state police tried to stop NIA from flying out Hurriyat leaders after their arrest.
Asked whether the top three separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik would be questioned by the NIA, the DGP said, only time will tell whether they are questioned or not.
On the issue of militants targeting families of policemen in south Kashmir, the DGP said it was their frustration. The militants ransacked houses of several police officials, including one SP and Inspector, in the last two days in Kulgam and Anantnag districts, spreading a wave of terror in the area.