Centre designates Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen's 'shoora' member Irshad Ahmad as terrorist under UAPA

By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], October 4 (ANI): The Centre on Tuesday designated Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen 'shoora' member Irshad Ahmad as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his involvement in "coordinating training and launching activities of the terrorist organization".
Irshad Ahmad alias Idrees, originally belonging to Gawari Kulhanda area in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, is presently residing in Islamabad, Pakistan.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated Irshad as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, mentioning that he is a "launching commander of Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen".
The MHA notification also said Irshad is also "a shoora member of Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen and involved in coordinating training and launching activities of the terrorist organization".
"The Central government believes that Irshad Ahmad is involved in terrorism and he is to be notified as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967," read the notification.
Taking cognisance of Irshad's terror activities, the Central government took the action against him to declare him a terrorist in the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, mentions the notification.
The notification further mentioned that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) has been enacted to provide for more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations and for dealing with terrorist activities.
Besides, it noted, Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 empowers the Central Government to notify the name of an individual in the Fourth Schedule to the Act, if it believes that he is involved in terrorism.
The notification also mentioned that Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen is listed as a terrorist organisation under the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. (ANI)