US declaration would affect Salahuddin's movement, funding: Home Secretary

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): Welcoming United States move to declare Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist, Union Home Secretary Rajeev Mehrishi on Tuesday said the move would affect the former's funding and movement.

"The United States' stance is correct. He (Salahuddin) is a terrorist, and therefore, he has been declared so. Post declaration, we can expect some impact on his movement and funding. That might help. Otherwise, he is a coward and has fled to Pakistan," Mehrishi told ANI.

Washington yesterday designated Hizbul chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin, as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist.'

Commenting on the development, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement, "In that sense, we would welcome this notification and also underline strongly that both India and U.S. face a threat of terrorism and are working together to counter this threat."

He added that this move by the U.S. vindicates India's long standing position that cross-border terrorism from Pakistan has been behind the disturbances created in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Salahuddin is the senior leader of the militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. In September 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir Valley "into a graveyard for Indian forces."

Under Salahuddin's tenure, the Hizbul-Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI