E-MAIL THIS LINK
To: 

Kashmir Ikhwan crackdown expands
  • Training the guns on its own creation, police arrested the brother of counter-insurgent-turned-politician Kuka Parray in Varmul. Seven others were also taken into custody. The arrest comes as a sequel to recent crackdown launched against pro-government "Ikhwan"-the armed wing of MLA Kuka Parray’s Jammu and Kashmir Awami League. Earlier this month the outfit’s supreme commander Rashid Billa was apprehended and booked under the Public Safety Act.

    Police raided the house of Ghulam Rasool Parray alias Lassa Kak in Hajan last night. Believed to be Ikhwan’s chief organiser, Lassa’s seven associates were also picked up during the raid. They include Rashid Baccha, a prominent commander. "Six AK-47 rifles, 23 magazines, 1 UBGL, 5 pouches and some ammunition was recovered from their possession," a police spokesman said, adding that complaints of extortion and excesses were persistently pouring against Kuka Parray’s brother. This is the second time this month that police arrested a bigwig of Ikhwan outfit-floated by the government in mid-90s to break the back of militancy which was till then in full-swing. On March 3 police arrested the outfit’s top commander Abdul Rashid alias Rashid Billa on charges of murder, robbery and extortion. Billa was also involved in the gruesome murder of seven members of a family at Sadrakote Bala in 1996. Officials had then blamed militants for the massacre.
    Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-03-14
    		•
    http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=2343