India to seek UN sanctions against Hizbul chief Salahuddin

NEW DELHI: India is in the process of seeking UN sanctions against banned Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin for a freeze on his assets and a travel ban for his association with Al-Qaeda terror group and its affiliates like Lashker-e-Taiba.

After filing a chargesheet against 64-year-old Salahuddin, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) compiled a dossier and routed it to Ministry of External Affairs for submission before the UN to seek sanctions similar to those issued against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

An Interpol Red Corner Notice was pending against Salahuddin, whose actual identity is Mohammed Yusuf Shah, and hails from Soibug area of Budgam district in central Kashmir.

The sources said MEA was in the process of taking concurrence of 15 member states in the United Nations Security Council before introducing it before the world body.

Salahuddin, who keeps shuttling between Rawalpindi and his Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir residence and at one time headed the United Jihad Council, may be declared an international terrorist under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 of the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee if New Delhi's request is acceded to by the global body.

India's case before the UN is that Salahuddin had headed the United Jehad Council, which is related to the Al-Qaeda, the sources said. He was chargesheeted by the NIA last year for his alleged involvement in sending funds for terror activities through a charitable institution.

Dawood was listed by the UN in 2010 for his association with Al-Qaeda.

The UN Committee, established pursuant to security council resolution 1267 (1999), is a Security Council subsidiary organ that oversees the implementation by member states of the three sanctions measures (assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo) imposed against targeted individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida, as designated by the Committee in its Sanctions List.