Salahuddin has confirmed what we have been saying, says Home Ministry after Hizbul Mujahideen chief admits to carrying out terror attacks in India

The US had on June 26 designated Syed Salahuddin, the head of Kashmiri militant group Hizb-ul- Mujahideen, as a specially designated global terrorist.

Pic courtesy: ANI (File image)

Delhi: Reacting to recently designated 'global terrorist' by the US Syed Salahuddin's remarks on a Pakistani television channel that he and his outfit the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) have carried out terror attacks in India, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Monday that their stand had been vindicated.

"Home Ministry has been saying exactly the same thing for very long time now," Ashok Prasad, spokesperson MHA said.

He added, "Salahuddin has himself confirmed what we have been trying to tell world. As far as his designation is concerned, it's well deserved."

Prasad also said that the Hizbul ​chief was also 'instrumental' in providing funds to terrorists and separatists and giving other kinds of assistance to the militants.

"Till now our focus was on 'Indian occupation forces'. All the operations that we have done or are underway, we focus only on the installations of these 'occupational forces'," Salahuddin said in an interview with a Pakistani channel, as per ANI.

Asserting that Kashmir was his 'home', the Hizbul chief stated that the Valley was witnessing an 'uprising' since the 'killing' of Burhan Wani.

Further revealing that he has many 'supporters' in India, Salahuddin admitted to purchasing weapons from international markets, adding that he has the capacity to deliver weapons at any place if he is paid for it.

Informing that he carried out many 'operations' in India, he stated that the international scenario changed after 9/11.

"If we would have taken our operations out of Kashmir at that time, India would get a chance to label Kashmir-e-Tehreek a terrorist organisation. We have support and we can target any place in India, at anytime," he said.

The US had on June 26 designated Salahuddin,  who is based in Muzaffarabad, as a specially designated global terrorist, a move which was welcomed by India which had said that it underlined quite strongly that both the countries faced threat of terrorism.

"India welcomes this notification. It underlines also quite strongly that both India and the US face threat of terrorism," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said, as per PTI. 

As a consequence of this designation, US citizens are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and all of his property and interests in property subject to United States jurisdiction are blocked.

Following the designation of Salahuddin as the global terrorist, the State Department in a notification had said that he had committed, or posed a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.

Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the US financial system.

Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other nations, it said.

(With Agency inputs)

NNNN