The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has unearthed fresh evidence linking overseas funding channels to The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy that initially claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack before retracting the statement.
According to officials, a mobile phone seized from a Srinagar-based suspect—containing more than 450 contacts—has provided crucial leads. Several contacts are already under investigation in other terror cases, and preliminary findings point to a hawala network routed through Malaysia to finance TRF operations.
Malaysia Link Exposed
Investigators have identified Sajad Ahmed Mir, a Malaysia-based resident, as a key figure in the suspected funding trail. Call records of another suspect, Yasir Hayat, revealed frequent communication with Mir to arrange funds for the TRF.
The probe suggests that Hayat made multiple visits to Malaysia to secure financing. With Mir’s assistance, he reportedly raised ₹9 lakh, which was later handed to TRF operative Shafat Wani to run the outfit’s operations.
Wani, described as a senior TRF functionary, also travelled to Malaysia under the pretext of attending a university conference—though the institution in question had not sponsored his visit, according to investigators.
Wider International Links
The NIA further revealed that Hayat maintained contact with at least two Pakistani nationals, reinforcing suspicions of cross-border coordination. His primary role, officials said, was to liaise with foreign operatives and secure funding streams for the group.
On August 13, the agency confirmed it had traced a “foreign trail of funds,” which remains under extensive investigation.
U.S. Action Against TRF
Following the Pahalgam attack, the United States designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. The move was seen as a setback for Pakistan, exposing what officials described as its continuing reliance on proxy outfits to fuel militancy in Kashmir.
The Resistance Front: A Proxy Identity
Formed in 2019, TRF was designed to replace the Hizbul Mujahideen and provide Lashkar-e-Taiba with a fresh localised identity. By projecting the group as indigenous to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan sought plausible deniability while avoiding scrutiny from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Indian security agencies have consistently maintained that TRF is a front for LeT, accusing Pakistan of providing support and sanctuary to the group.
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