NIA has recently arrested three Falah-e-Insaniyat (FIF) activists in Delhi thereby busting a major terror funding racket of Hafiz Saeed-run LeT’s financial arm FIF. The arrested operatives include Salman who was arrested from Nizaumuddin in Delhi, Salman who was arrested from Daryaganj and Sajjad Abdul Wani from Srinagar. NIA sources have stated that the busted module was in operation for sometime and was receiving funds from abroad to further terror activities in India.
The trio led by Salman received money in India from a Pakistani national based in Dubai. All financial transactions took place through Hawala and the object was to feed LeT modules active within India. NIA has also been able to trace a money trail from Pakistan through Hawala transactions. LeT is a major terror organisation and has been designated as a terror organisation both by India and the USA. It is shocking how the Hawala network for terror outfits is active and operating within the territory of India.
Hawala network for terror funding is a major headache for India since the early 2000s. The Hawala network is presently worth over Rs. 2,000 crore today. A major portion of this Hawala network is used for pumping in terror funds. Most of the Hawala transactions into India are taking place from UAE and Pakistan. Delhi serves as the biggest landing base for these Hawala operators and when it comes to operatives in the southern India, Kerala is the destination for the Hawala activists.
What is even more shocking is the fact that many times these terror related Hawala activities take place in the cover of Muslim charitable organisations or NGOs ostensibly meant for Muslim welfare. The interrogation report of LeT operative, Ahmed Ashfaq, reveals this dark truth. He had stated that Riyadh is the hub of Hawala operations. According to him, Chandni Chowk in Delhi is the hub of Hawala operations in India. Money generated in Pakistan is sent to Riyadh and from there it is pumped into India.
He also spoke about the case of Basheer, who operated an outfit going by the name of Muslim Defence Fund (MDF) which is a classic example of how terror funds are moved around in the garb of Muslim welfare. This outfit which had been founded in the late 1990s, is involved in feeding terror organisations with Hawala network funds. However, it has been intentionally shaped as an NGO and claims to collect charity for Muslim welfare. The idea is to use the noble cover of welfare and indulge in terror funding so as to mislead the anti-terror agencies. It has been learnt that the MDF has been pumping funds not only for the LeT but for other terror outfits such as the SIMI and Indian Mujahideen as well.
Even though the outfit started operating by the name of MDF, it has been learnt that it has changed its name many times in order to avoid detection and to continue its dirty game of terror financing in the name of charity and Muslim welfare. Officials say that the LeT has formed several such charity groups in Saudi Arabia under the pretext of raising money for Muslim welfare. In reality, these organisation route in money generated in Pakistan and pump it into India which is then used not only for terror activities but also for funding separatist activities within India.