Hizbul Mujahideen sleeper cell busted in Kashmir: Police arrest UK-based physiotherapist

A Special Investigating Team of Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a physiotherapist minutes before he was going to board a flight to London via Delhi. According to the police, 33-year-old Mohammad Shaheen Baba, a resident of Charar-e-Shareef in Budgam district in central Kashmir, has been running a sleeper cell for the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

Baba has been living in London for the past ten years and is married to an American citizen of Pakistani origin. Apart from Shaheen Baba, the SIT arrested seven others with alleged militant links in Kashmir.

“Mohammad Shaheen Baba was working in UK as a physiotherapist and has been living in London since 2006. He married an American citizen of Pakistani origin. He visited Pakistan, where he got in touch with HM Commanders and on their directions established the sleeper cell,” a police statement on Sunday said. “During preliminary investigation, it surfaced that they (the arrested persons including the doctor) had planned to carry out sensational acts of terror by way of IED blasts.”

Shaheen Baba came to Kashmir three months back for his younger sister’s wedding and was leaving for London on Sunday afternoon when the police intercepted and arrested him.

Police sources also revealed that the physiotherapist had provided sim cards and Rs 10 lakh in cash to activate the sleeper cells for carrying out attacks in the valley.

The police said, “One Chinese pistol with magazine, 25 live rounds, incriminating documents and a mobile phone was recovered from the cell members.”    The police further claimed that Shaheen was in Pakistan where he met Hizb commanders and on their orders established the sleeper cell. “The group was planning to carry out IED blasts in the valley especially in Srinagar city,” the official added.

The police have identified other members of the group as Mudasir Ahmad Baba, Basharat Hussain Baba, Uqab Ahmad Wazir and Manzoor Ahmad. According to a senior police official as many as 20 youths, mostly in their mid-20s, have been detained for questioning.

Further investigations are going on.