Extremist outfits thrive on hawala money

Hefty contributions from multiple sources add to their revenue

July 13, 2010 07:39 pm | Updated 07:39 pm IST - Kozhikode:

Several suspected extremist outfits, now under the scanner of Intelligence agencies, mobilise funds from multiple sources, including a wide network of hawala trade, to carry out subversive activities in the State, according to Central and State Intelligence agencies.

They say that many fundamentalist organisations receive financial support, especially from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, through hawala trade, which is estimated to be over Rs.10,000 crore every year. The annual Non-Resident Indian (NRI) remittance reaching the State through banks and other authorised exchange houses is around Rs.40,000 crore.

This apart, Intelligence sources say that counterfeit currencies printed in Pakistan are brought to India through expatriates via Dubai. Extremist outfits having units under fictitious names in GCC nations deftly employ gullible flyers as carriers to transport fake currency notes. They are offered genuine Rs.10,000 as payment for bringing fake currency notes of Rs.50,000.

Funding groups

Besides, many organisations obtain funds, legally and illegally, from entities such as Makka-based Rabita-al-Alam al-Islami (Muslim World League); International Islamic Relief Organisation, a Saudi-based charity organisation; Kuwait-based Jamiat Ihya-at-Turaz-al-Islami (Revival of Islamic Heritage Society); and Saudi-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth. Some of these funding groups have local offices in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Indonesia.

Sources told The Hindu on Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence had apprised its Intelligence counterparts in India about the funding of these organisations which are linked to al-Qaeda. The U.S. had frozen funds of the organisations after the 9/11 terror attacks in New York.

The economic offence wing of the State Crime Branch - Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID), which probes cases of counterfeiting, believes that some of the accused have connections with proscribed organisations. However, it has not been established whether the organisations receive funds through organisations banned in the country. The Centre had banned 34 organisations for unlawful activities and some of these include Lashkar-e-Taiba/ Pasban-e-Ahle Hadis, Jaish-e-Mohammad/ Tahrik-e-Furqan, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen/ Harkar-ul-Ansar/ Karkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen/ Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, Al-Umar-Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front, Students Islamic Movement of India, Deendar Anjuman, Al Badr, Jamiat-ul-Mujahidde, al-Qaida and Dukhtaran-e-Millat, sources said.

In fact, a Karachi-born suspected Al Badr operative Mohammed Fahad, arrested by the Mysore police a few years ago, had attempted to establish a base in Kozhikode.

Hefty contributions from NRIs, businessmen and sympathisers in the State add to the revenue of the extremist outfits. Office-bearers of these organisations frequent Gulf countries for marshalling resources. Some of them stay in these countries for at least a month. Donations reach these organisations through various ‘charitable societies' floated for the purpose, sources say.

The funds are utilised for various means such as setting up offices, recruiting youths, purchasing vehicles and mobiles, obtaining logistical support, conducting camps and unleashing propagandas. The Nilambur forests had once been used by Abdul Sattar alias E.K. Sainudheen, a suspected militant arrested for his involvement in various bomb blasts in the country.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.