The Government of India  declared the chief launching commander of the terror outfit Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen Showkat Ahmed Sheikh and Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 on charges of spreading terror violence in Jammu and Kashmir and for radicalising and motivating youths to join terrorist ranks to carry out terror activities in the valley.

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification issued on Tuesday said, the Central government declared Showkat Ahmed Sheik as a terrorist, the order stated.

Showkat alias Showkat Mochi was born in 1970 in Ganie Hamam region in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla. He is presently in Pakistan.

The terrorist is accused of his involvement in “coordinating infiltration and recruitment of terrorists and execution of terror attacks owing to his deep network of associates in North Kashmir”.

The government designated the terrorists under Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. These clauses empower 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.