In a major action against terrorists operating from Pakistan soil, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday attached the Srinagar-based property of Mushtaq Zargar alias Latram, the founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen, who was released along with Masood Azhar, the notorious Jaish-e-Mohammed chief, in exchange of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight 814 (IC 814) at Kandahar in 1999.
Zargar was also involved in the kidnapping of former union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989.
Zargar’s two Marlas house (Khasra No. 182) at Ganai Mohalla, Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta, Srinagar, has been attached under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the NIA said in a statement on Thursday.
“The procedure was carried out today by a team of NIA along with the representative of district administration and local police,” said the Central anti-terror agency.
Zargar is a ‘Designated Individual Terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and has been operating from Pakistan ever since his release and has been funding terror activities in the valley.
Zargar was earlier associated with Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and was responsible for several terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also been involved in other heinous crimes, including murders, and has a close association with other terror outfits such, as Al-Qaeda and JeM.
Zargar was designated a terrorist by the union government under the Fourth Schedule of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Zargar grew up in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar and joined JKLF. In 1989 he was one of the members who kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed and negotiated her release in exchange for five terrorists.
He was arrested on May 15, 1992, and was released from jail on December 31, 1999, as part of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 hostage exchange deal.