Srinagar: United Jehad Council, an amalgam of various militant organizations, on Friday rejected US designation of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’, saying that the country was going against ideas of its freedom loving founding fathers like George Washington and Martin Luther King.
“We reject US designation of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as people of Kashmir have rendered thousands of sacrifices to liberate themselves from slavery. The US is going against ideas of its founding fathers like George Washington and Martin Luther King and ban on Hizb-ul-Mujahideen is an example in this regard,” Secretary General of UJC and Ameer (chief) of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen said in an emailed statement.
He said that entire world community knows that struggle of kashmiris was indigenous and “it will continue at any cost”.
He claimed that Modi-Triump alliance was against world peace as this ” combination is against Muslims “.
He said that United Nation’s security council resolutions guarantee right to self determination to the people of Kashmir and urged world community to play its role.
On Wednesday, the US State Department designated Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Kashmir’s indigenous militant organization, as “a Foreign Terrorist Organization”.
“The Department of State has designated Hizbul Mujahideen—also known as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, also known as HM—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. These designations seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of HM’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group,” read a statement issued by the US State Department.
The notification comes three months after Kashmiri militant leader and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s supreme commander Syed Salahuddin was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US state department. The development had come just hours ahead of the scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on 27 June this year. It also imposed sanctions on him.
Formed in 1989, HM is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir, the Department of State said. “Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014, explosives attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people,” it had said.
“Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of U.S. agencies and other governments,” it added.
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