Situated beside the Neelum River in Muzaffarabad, opposite the historic Red Fort and along the main road Coordinates(34°23’09″N 73°27’25″E), the Syedna Bilal Camp—also known locally as the Hazrat Bilal Mosque—has long served a dual identity. Outwardly, it functions as a mosque, hosting regular religious activities. Intelligence reports, however, have consistently identified the site as a major operational hub for the UN-designated terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
A Terrorist Operational Hub Disguised as a Mosque
The camp incorporates the mosque building into its wider complex, which spans 8–10 kanals (roughly 4–5 acres). The facility reportedly includes:
• Family quarters and office premises,
• The Al-Rehmat Trust (a JeM-linked charitable front),
• A Hijama centre (traditional cupping therapy) on the ground floor.
While religious functions continue, the location has allegedly hosted a range of terrorist activities. Training programs included weapons instruction, explosives fabrication, jungle survival skills, and—according to multiple reports—even specialized courses provided by Pakistan’s elite Special Service Group (SSG).
Command and Leadership
The camp is reportedly overseen by Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, a senior JeM operational commander in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Other high-profile figures associated with the site include:
• Abdullah Jehadi (a.k.a. Abdullah Kashmiri): Linked to the 2016 Nagrota attack.
• Aashiq Nengroo: An Indian fugitive and JeM handler tied to cross-LoC operations and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
These figures highlight the camp’s role as more than a local facility—it has served as a command and coordination hub for some of JeM’s most high-impact operations in India.
Transit and Staging Role
Beyond training, the Syedna Bilal Camp has primarily functioned as a transit hub, housing 50–100 cadres at a time before infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC) into Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence sources emphasize that operatives rotate through this camp as part of a wider JeM network, which also includes nodes at Sarjal/Kotli, Subhanallah/Bahawalpur, and Sawai Nalla.
These camps specialize in different mission areas—explosives, communications, or tactical survival—and cadres often undergo cross-training before being staged at Syedna Bilal for their final push into India.
Evidence of Terrorist Activity
Indian briefings and intelligence assessments cite a mix of satellite imagery, intercepted communications, and human intelligence as evidence of terrorist presence and activity at the site. Prior to attacks such as Pulwama (2019), Nagrota (2016), and Pahalgam (2025), high-level JeM commanders were reportedly present at the camp.
On May 7, 2025, the camp was named among the nine targets struck during Operation Sindoor, an Indian cross-border counterterrorism action aimed at disrupting JeM’s infrastructure.
Financial Networks and FATF Oversight
Although Pakistan has officially committed to compliance with international counter-terror financing regimes, JeM is reported to continue raising and distributing funds through:
• Sham NGOs (e.g., Al-Rehmat Trust),
• Digital wallets (such as EasyPaisa and SadaPay),
• Informal cash couriers.
Following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a pointed statement condemning the strike and underscoring that “…such an assault would not have been possible without the money and the mechanisms in place.” FATF pledged to intensify scrutiny of terror-financing networks linked to JeM and similar groups.
Conclusion
The Syedna Bilal Camp exemplifies how militant groups exploit religious and civilian infrastructure as cover for militant operations. While serving as a functioning mosque, the facility has been identified as a training, staging, and transit hub for JeM cadres. The presence of senior commanders, specialized training reportedly involving Pakistan’s SSG, and repeated linkage to high-profile terrorist attacks underscore the camp’s role as a critical node in JeM’s cross-border terror infrastructure.