US maintained no contact with Syed Ali Shah Geelani since 2001: WikiLeaks

The US embassy officials here referred to top moderate separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as "four musketeers" as Washington maintained "no contact" with hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani since 2001 for his ties with "terrorist groups".

Apart from Mirwaiz, former amalgam chairmen Abdul Gani Bhat and Maulvi Abbas Ansari, and Bilal Lone were the other three "musketeers", the cables from the US Embassy released by WikiLeaks said.

"Bilal is one of the 'four musketeers', the top leaders of the moderate APHC (along with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Prof AG Bhat and Maulvi Ansari)," the US embassy cable said.

The partial extract of the original cable, which details the profile of Kashmir-related leaders, dates back to 2005.

The three-part biographic report compiled "information and impressions gained from contact with Kashmir-related politicians, government officials, separatists, academics, journalists, NGO activists and others during a 2002-2005 assignment at embassy New Delhi".

The biographic report, compiled by an official with last name "BLAKE", views Geelani as the "most rigid and uncompromising pro-Pakistan Kashmiri separatist" with whom the US embassy in New Delhi has maintained a "no contact" policy since 2001.

The initials 'BLAKE' apparently referred to then US Deputy Chief of Mission Robert O Blake.

"The embassy has maintained a 'no contact' policy with him since 2001 because of his continuing ties with terrorist groups in the Valley and his refusal to renounce violence. Most major embassies follow our lead," the cable said. It said Geelani's anti-India views were "cemented" when authorities refused to allow him to attend his father's funeral during his 13-month imprisonment.

The US also views JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik as "moody and temperamental" saying it is often "difficult to have a dialogue with Malik because of his gloomy personality".