Indian security agencies suspect that the Californian almonds (badaam) that are exported from Pakistan to Jammu & Kashmir via Line of Control are being used to fund terror in Kashmir valley. It is also suspected that these funds could be used to sustain stone-pelting and other protests against security forces.
A leading News Channel accessed an FIR based on the probe of National Investigation Agency on the source of terror fund in the valley that points out an unholy trinity of almond traders, valley separatists and terrorists.The NIA has found definitive terror money trail that is meant to fund unrest in India via proceeds from this cross-LoC trade, reports CNN News 18. The report says a major portion of the revenue is diverted to fund terror activities in India.
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The report also says that more than 70 traders under scanner of security agencies as they are suspected to be on the ISI’s payroll and could be working as terror conduits. Agency is now looking into the terror funding received by Hurriyat leaders and their association with terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Earlier, the security agency carried out multiple raids in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in which it seized incriminating documents and foreign currency.
During these raids, Pakistani currency (a few thousand) and currencies belonging to the UAE and Saudi Arabia were also found. Separatists leaders had condemned the NIA raid, saying “We warn Delhi of dire consequences if all these harassing measures are not stopped forthwith. If these unnecessary raids are not stopped, people will take to streets and resent these arbitrary measures with their full might and will.”
Last year, the NIA had filed a case to probe irregularities in LoC barter trade, carried out by 300 registered traders in J&K. The agency filed a fresh case last month to probe funding of stone-pelters and terrorists through separatists by LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and Pakistan. Earlier clothes and ‘dupatta’ (stole) were being used to finance terror in the state.
