Terror funding: Syed Salahuddin’s son admits receiving hawala money from Hizbul Mujahideen

Globally-wanted militant Syed Salahuddin's son Syed Shahid Yousuf, who was arrested in a 2011 terror funding case, on Wednesday admitted his link with a Pakistan-based militant organisation.

New Delhi: Globally-wanted militant Syed Salahuddin's son Syed Shahid Yousuf, who was arrested in a 2011 terror funding case, on Wednesday admitted his link with Pakistan-based militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen. 

"During the questioning, Yousuf admitted having received funds from cadres of Hizbul Mujahideen on the direction of his father Syed Salahuddin," an NIA official was quoted as saying. 

"This was done to foment terrorist activities in the valley. He revealed names of his associates abroad associated with the Hizbul and involved in raising, collecting and transferring funds from abroad to India. The same is being further verified & investigated," the official added.

Earlier in the day, a Delhi court sent him to a seven-day custody of National Investigation Agency in the terror funding case. 

Yousuf, who was arrested on Tuesday, was produced before district and sessions judge Poonam A Bamba, who granted the NIA his custody till November 1.

"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case and submissions made in the application, to enable the NIA to unearth the criminal conspiracy and link of the accused with Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Shahid Yousuf is remanded to police custody till November 1," the judge said.

The NIA in its plea seeking custodial interrogation of Yousuf, said it needed to unravel the entire criminal conspiracy and establish his link with prescribed militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen.

The agency told the court that Shahid was collecting funds from Aijaz Bhat, a Srinagar resident now based in Saudi Arabia and a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, on the direction of his father Salahuddin, who is on the run.

Shahid over the years has been receiving and collecting funds through international wire money transfer from Bhat, an NIA statement said.

The NIA said Shahid was one of Bhat's several contacts who were in telephonic touch "to receive the money transfer codes". The money was meant to fund Hizbul Mujahideen`s militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

(With Agency inputs)