Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
97ISLAMABAD5640
1997-07-03 11:19:00
SECRET
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

JAMMU AND KASHMIR ISLAMIC FRONT (C-NA7-00565)

Tags:  KPRP PINR PTER PK 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 031119Z JUL 97
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8276
INFO AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 
AMCONSUL LAHORE 
AMCONSUL KARACHI
S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 005640 


DEPT FOR S/CT
DEPT ALSO FOR SA/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: (1.6X1)
TAGS: KPRP, PINR, PTER, PK
SUBJ: JAMMU AND KASHMIR ISLAMIC FRONT (C-NA7-00565)

REF: STATE 106548

CLASSIFIED BY ACTING POLCOUNS MIKE ANDERSON. REASON: 1.5 (C).

S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 005640


DEPT FOR S/CT
DEPT ALSO FOR SA/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: (1.6X1)
TAGS: KPRP, PINR, PTER, PK
SUBJ: JAMMU AND KASHMIR ISLAMIC FRONT (C-NA7-00565)

REF: STATE 106548

CLASSIFIED BY ACTING POLCOUNS MIKE ANDERSON. REASON: 1.5 (C).

1. (S) EMBASSY IS WORKING ON GATHERING MORE INFORMATION ON THE
JAMMU AND KASHMIR ISLAMIC FRONT (JKIF) IN RESPONSE TO REFTEL, BUT
OFFERS THE FOLLOWING INITIAL READOUT TO ASSIST ANALYSTS. ACCORDING
TO MUSHTAQ WANI -- ALL PARTIES HURRIYAT CONFERENCE MEMBER AND
KASHMIRI MILITANT LEADER -- THE JKIF WAS FORMED WHEN THE PRO-
PAKISTAN IKHEWAN-UL-MUSLIMEEN GROUP SPLIT APART IN 1995. WANI SAID
THAT THE GROUP IS SMALL -- "LESS THAN 100 MEMBERS" -- BUT THAT IT
IS QUITE ACTIVE IN INDIA. TWO OF ITS MORE PROMINENT MEMBERS
RECENTLY WERE ARRESTED IN NEPAL AND INDIA FOR POSSESSION OF THE
EXPLOSIVE RDX, WANI SAID. ASKED IF THE WORD "ISLAMIC" IN JKIF
MEANT THE GROUP WAS ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS, WANI REPLIED NO. WANI
SAID MOST OF THE MEMBERS WERE "UNEDUCATED MEN" WHO CAME FROM
KASHMIR.

2. (S) THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS GLEANED FROM A 1996 REPORT
HANDED TO POLOFF BY FIRST SECRETARY ROWAN LAXON (PROTECT) AT THE UK
HIGH COMMISSION IN ISLAMABAD. ANALYSTS MAY ALREADY HAVE THIS
PARTICULAR REPORT, BUT WE OFFER IT HERE FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH:
BEGIN TEXT:

" ACCORDING TO A J&K GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, HILAL AHMED BEG,
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE J&K ISLAMIC FRONT, WAS KILLED IN AN
ENCOUNTER WITH J&K POLICE IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF SRINAGAR AROUND
MIDNIGHT ON 16/17 JULY 1996. BEG IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN A NUMBER OF SERIOUS TERRORIST ACTS COMMITTED AT THE START OF THE
MILITANCY IN KASHMIR, INCLUDING THE MURDER OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR
OF KASHMIR UNIVERSITY. HIS DEATH FOLLOWS THAT OF SAJJAD KENU, THE
FOUNDER OF THE JKIF, AND COULD LEAD TO THE DEMISE OF THE
ORGANIZATION AS A SERIOUS FORCE IN THE MILITANCY." END TEXT.

3. (S) IN REPLY TO REFTEL REQUEST (PARA. L) FOR INFORMATION ON AN
HUA POSTER AT ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, EMBASSY CONTACTS
WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A COPY OF THE POSTER, NOR DID THEY SEE ANY
OTHER ANTI-US PROPAGANDA ON DISPLAY ON CAMPUS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
KEEP OUR EYES OPEN FOR ANY SUCH LITERATURE. WE ALSO EXPECT TO
RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE JKIF -- INCLUDING PHONE NUMBERS --
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. WE WILL PROVIDE THEM AS SOON AS WE GET
THEM. REGARDS FROM I-BAD.


SIMONS