Asiya Andrabi admits her involvement in receiving funds from foreign sources: NIA

The NIA said that Asiya Andrabi made the confessions after she was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia.

National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, on Sunday said that Dukhtaran-e-Millathad chief Asiya Andrabi has confessed during interrogation that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources to organise protests by Muslim women in the state.

"During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted she had been collecting funds & donations from foreign sources, for which her organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millathad had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley," said the NIA.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on J&K terror funding case: During interrogation, Asiya Andrabi admitted she had been collecting funds & donations from foreign sources, for which her organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millathad had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley pic.twitter.com/YoB0TgPhoO — ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

The NIA also added that Andrabi made the confessions after she was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali. It is to be noted that Watali is currently behind bars in connection with a terror funding case.

"Separatist Asiya Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Zahoor Watali," noted the NIA.

National Investigation Agency on J&K terror funding case: Separatist Asiya Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onward through foreign remittances made by Zahoor Watali (arrested in a terror funding case) https://t.co/Lcr6CQkMkw — ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

The NIA has collected evidence that Asiya Andrabi has close links with the Pakistani Army and use to receive funds from its spy agency the Inter-Services Intelligence. According to NIA, Andrabi has close contacts with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafeez Saeed through a serving Pakistan Army officer, who is also closely related to her.

The NIA said that Masarat Alam, who is also currently in jail in connection with terror funding case, has revealed during interrogation that agents based in Pakistan route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to separatist leaders including veteran Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Shah Gilani. Masarat is the so-called poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley.

NIA on J&K terror funding case: Masarat Alam, so called poster boy of stone pelters&violent agitations in Kashmir, revealed that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman APHC(G) https://t.co/pTOQOA0c6C — ANI (@ANI) 16 June 2019

Sources said that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is personally monitoring the cases against Asiya and Masarat. It is to be noted that Doval spearheads the Central government's strategy in Jammu and Kashmir on the terror front.