The Hindu : 'LeT behind Nadimarg massacre'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 11, 2003

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National

'LeT behind Nadimarg massacre'

By Shujaat Bukhari

The Anantnag district commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Zia Mustafa, suspected to be involved in the Nadimarg massacre, being produced before presspersons on Thursday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmed

SRINAGAR APRIL 10. The Jammu and Kashmir police today claimed that the militant outfit, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, was responsible for the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits at Nadimarg on March 23. And the outfit was planning to attack activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and some temples to "avenge" the killing of Muslims in Gujarat.

This was revealed after the arrest and interrogation of the LeT's Anantnag district commander, Zia Mustafa alias Arbaz alias Umar Abdullah.

Producing Zia before presspersons here, the Director-General of Police, Ashok K. Suri, said the militant was a resident of Rawlakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and was arrested on specific information. He refused to give further details saying, "they will hamper further operations, though we have already conducted some to track down others". Asked whether Zia was part of the group which killed the Pandits, Mr. Suri said "he attended the meeting in which it was decided, he connived and planned". The meeting, attended by half-a-dozen LeT commanders, decided that retaliatory action be taken against the Gujarat incidents.

The commanders also planned to target the VHP and RSS activists besides attacking temples across the country, particularly the Somnath temple in Gujarat.

"These instructions were received from their mentors in Pakistan for strict compliance" Mr. Suri said adding that "it was also decided to establish bases amongst Muslim youth in Delhi, Gujarat and other places for waging jehad". The documents in Zia's possession also revealed the strategy of the LeT such as looting the houses of the minority community after an attack.

Zia was also the financial chief for Anantnag district. His interrogation showed the involvement of LeT in the attacks on the Air Force base at Awantipore and some security force camps. The militant had infiltrated into the Valley in September 2001 and was operating from village Narwani in Pulwama district. He was involved in establishing bases for the LeT along with his associates.

Mr. Suri said: "we want to reaffirm that there is no doubt left in the fact that Pakistan was continuing with the trouble and killings in Kashmir through its mercenaries". Infiltration from across the border was also going on, he added.

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