'Zakir Musa’s killing ended concept of radical jihad'

Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh on Saturday said the killing of Zakir Musa has ended the cult and concept of radical jihad in the state.

“Zakir Musa created a new concept and cult of radical jihad and militancy in Kashmir. He was the last militant of such radical ideology. With his killing, security forces have eliminated the last such militant who was influenced by ISIS kind of terrorism in Kashmir,” he told reporters.

Singh said that youth in the state should understand that radical ideology or other kind of militancy leads to death and destruction.

“Some youth were influenced by the radical ideology of Zakir Musa and we see youth waving ISIS flags in old city Srinagar around Jamia Masjid on Fridays. His (Musa’s) killing is the death of radical concept of jihad in Kashmir. Any radical idea of militancy is against the interests of youth and other people of the state,” the police chief said.

Musa who was commander of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliated group, was killed in Dadsara village of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday night.

Singh claimed that in south Kashmir peace and normalcy was returning “as security forces have been successful in killing leadership of militants in the last few months.”

“There is a decline in the recruitment of youth towards militants. Positive change is coming in the south Kashmir because top leadership of militant groups, particular foreign militant groups like LeT and JeM have been eliminated,” he said, adding the operations against militants will continue to restore complete peace and normalcy.

Meanwhile, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen on Saturday paid tributes to the Musa. Local news gathering agency KNS quoting e-mailed statement by Hizbul spokesman Saleem Hashmi said, “Instead of bowing down, Zakir sacrificed his life for Islam.”