‘I need your help and support and I am sure we can win and send the enemy out of our territory.’
An audio conversation accessed by CNN-News 18 between the slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani and the man responsible for the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai Hafiz Saeed reveals how the two forces wanted to combine and pose a united threat to India.
A few days before his killing, Kashmiri militant leader Burhan Wani, a poster boy of Kashmiri militancy, had spoken to Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief Hafiz Saeed seeking his “blessings” and offered to put up a united front of LeT and his own Hizbul Mujahideen in their jihad against Indian security forces.
His death at the hands of the armed forces on July 8 set off protests in Kashmir, which subsequently snowballed into a paralysis of the state, which has just about begun to ease.
CNN-News18 has accessed an audio tape of the conversation between Wani from his Valley hideout and Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 terror attacks, sitting in Pakistan, which was intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies.
CNN-News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the tape in which Wani is also heard requesting Saeed to extend more support to Lashkar terrorists inside Kashmir valley in terms of arms, ammunition and money.
The tape begins with a call from Saeed’s location in Pakistan where his assistant tells Wani that he is handing over the phone to Peer Sahib (Hafiz Saeed).
“You people are living in very difficult conditions. But you don’t have to worry. Whatever you need just tell us we are ready for every help. Will be ready for anything. You just have to tell us,” Saeed tells Wani.
“We have to go all out on attacks and shouldn’t lose this opportunity. For this we need ammunition and support from the back. We should work together for this (Hizbul and Lashkar),” Wani is heard as saying.
Here’s the transcript of their conversation:
Burhan Wani: Greetings
Caller: Just talk to Peer Sahib (Hafiz Saeed)
Hafiz Saeed: Salaam wallekum
Burhan Wani: Salaam wallekum. How are you?
Hafiz Saeed: All fine. Burhan speaking?
Burhan Wani: Yes I’m Burhan. Hope you are fine.
Hafiz Saeed: Yes, I am fine. God is kind. I am thankful to him. I pray to god to bless you with everything. He should give you strength to fight for the cause and religion.
Burhan Wani: I was always keen to talk to you but with the grace of god I’m talking to you today. How is your health?
Hafiz Saeed: Yes I’m fine. By the grace of god everything is going fine. You people are living in very difficult conditions. But you don’t have to worry. Whatever you need just tell us, we are ready for every help. Will be ready for anything. You just have to tell us. We pray to god that we get success and the enemy is defeated and whatever we have to do we will do.
Burhan Wani: Inshallah, we will do everything. We just need blessings from our elders. God has accepted my wish and with his blessings small people like me are also talking to you.
Hafiz Saeed: No, no, you are very dear to us and you are doing great work, your sacrifices and we get news about every activity of yours. We are very happy with you.
Burhan Wani: I just want to make a small request. Here in Kashmir, these Lashkar people don’t get their stuff regularly; they are facing difficulties in getting their money and other things. I don’t understand the reason for this. If they have weak network I can help. I have sources available.
Hafiz Saeed: Great. Great. I will definitely take note of this and will take all help from you. And we will pray to god that he should help you.
Burhan Wani: I also want to say the enemy is almost defeated and we have to maintain this. We have to go all out on the attacks and shouldn’t lose this opportunity. For this, we need ammunition and support from the back. We should work together for this (Hizbul & Lashkar).
I have spoken to Dujana also, who is responsible for Lashkar here in Srinagar -- you must be aware of this. For this I need your help and support and I am sure we can win and send the enemy out of our territory.
Hafiz Saeed: Inshallah, inshallah. Give my greetings to all the brothers and sister here. We all are working for one purpose. And tell them I’m praying for everybody. Everybody.
Burhan Wani: Grateful. I just want to say that Lashkar needs more back up from your side and for that if you need any support from me, please let me know.
I can do anything. They are our brothers and we have a common purpose and a common enemy.
Hafiz Saeed: All right. Inshallah... Inshallah.
Burhan Wani: Also these Lashkar people are saying that they never get to talk to Hafiz sahib.
Hafiz Saeed: I only spoke to you. I got your message and called. You keep in touch with these people, we also have all information about them.
Burhan Wani: Yes I’m in touch with them and will take care of them.
Hafiz Saeed: Okay, bye.
Burhan Wani: Bye.
