Pakistan-based Al Badr terrorist outfit seems to be undergoing a revival on the terror map of Jammu and Kashmir. A designated Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States, Al Badr has gone on a massive recruitment spree in the restive south Kashmir region.
Four local youth have joined the outfit in the last few days and the outfit has claimed responsibility for the grenade attack at Tahab in Pulwama district in which seven people, including four CRPF men, were injured on Monday
A proscribed organisation, Al Badr had been rendered defunct after its last surviving terrorist Muzaffar Ahmad Naikoo alias Muz Molvi, a resident of Sopore, was killed by security forces in Machwa area of Central Kashmir's Budgam district in January 2017.
However, Al Badr recently released a 4:24-minute video of heavily armed, masked terrorists announcing their arrival in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sitting on a floor with two heavily armed, masked men dressed in black Khan suits standing guard, a diminutive looking, hooded man claiming to be the self-styled divisional commander of Al Badr, Hamza Burhan, said the outfit has the strength of 100 ultras and in next few weeks another 200 youth will be joining them.
"Currently, our number is 100 and in a few weeks' time, we will add another 200 youth in our ranks. Those youth will be preferred who have an Islamic bent of mind. As you know we have already brought a few boys in our fold," said Hamza.
What has sent alarm bells ringing is that the new outfit has threatened to target political activists and cops in the valley. "We want to inform people that they should not go near the posse of police, Army, CRPF or pro-India political workers. We will target the security vehicles and cops wherever we find them," he said.
Established in 1998, Al Badr drew most of the cadres from Pakistan who infiltrated into Kashmir to wage Jihad. A banned outfit, Al Badr, however, suffered major setbacks when security forces wiped out its leadership.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Pulwama, Mohommad Aslam said they are investigating the matter and trying to unravel the mystry. "It is a matter of investigation. We are verifying their claims. We cannot rule out the recruitment of few boys. Unless we get confirmation on the ground, we cannot say anything," he said.
