Muslim madrassa doubling up as LeT cell

Author: Saleem Pandit

Publication: The Times of India
Date: December 21, 2006
URL:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/JK_cops_bust_madrassa_doubling_up_as
_LeT_cell/articleshow/870640.cms
In a startling discovery, police in north Kashmir have stumbled on a full-fledged
recruitment cell of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in a 'madrassa'in Sopore.
The Dar-ul-Shamas-ul-Uloom has been in existence for the last six years, police
said and claimed that it was in fact a clandestine recruiting centre for the
Lashkar.
Founded just six years ago by Moulvi Abdul Ahad Rather alias Bitta Molvi, Dar-ul-
Shamas-ul-Uloom, at Tarzoo in Sopore, has 300-odd students in the age group of 7-
30 years, preparing to become Imams, but apparently, it was nothing more than a
Lashkar recruitment centre, police stated.
Said SP Sopore Mir Imtiaz,"With the arrest of four LeT operatives from Dar-ul-
Shamas-ul-Uloom, ostensibly an Islamic Darasgah, we have discovered that Pakistani
ultras have started outsourcing terrorist actions to 'talibs'(students) in
madrassas."
The four arrested - Latief Ahmed Bhat (21), Mohammad Yasin Mir (22), Shamasuddin
Rather (30) and Mohammed Waseem Bhat (19) - were 'talibs'in the madrassa and two
of them have even stayed at Bharuch in Gujarat, in a madrassa for two years,
apparently for memorising the holy Koran, police said.
The Moulvi was picked up by Army after Latief's father complained that his son had
been missing. Latief claimed he was deputed for arms training in Kupawara forests
by the Moulvi.
Though booked for harbouring and running terror school, the Moulvi was released on
court orders this month, the SP said.
Talking to TOI, Latief admitted he was sent for 15 days arms training to Kupwara
forests and that it was the Moulvi who handed him over to two LeT men for
training.
He said he was trained to handle only pistol in Kupwara forests for 15 days and an
LeT commander indoctrinated him to take up arms for jihad.
"The first task accomplished by me, was to set a beauty parlour on fire in Sopore.
I was given one litre of petrol and another terrorist accompanied me with a
pistol. I set the parlour on fire while the other kept the owner in captivity till
I destroyed the parlour,"Latief said.
When contacted, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Gopal Sharma said, action under law
would be initiated against the particular madrassa.