Significant number of ISIS terrorists in Kerala, Karnataka: UN report

A UN report on terrorism has warned that there are “significant numbers” of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka. The report noted that the al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent terror group, which reportedly has between 150 and 200 militants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, is planning attacks in the region.

The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that the al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan.

According to the report, “One member state reported that the ISIL Indian affiliate (Hind Wilayah), which was announced on May 10, 2019, has between 180 and 200 members”.

“The group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan. The current leader of AQIS is Osama Mahmood…, who succeeded the late Asim Umar… AQIS is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader,” it said.

It said that there are “significant numbers of ISIL operatives in Kerala and Karnataka states.”

According to official sources, some 100-120 individuals from Kerala either joined, or tried to join, ISIS. Some of them moved to Syria or Afghanistan from the Middle East, where they were employed; others migrated from Kerala.

Abu Khalild al-Hindi aka Abdul Khayoom, who carried out an attack on Gurudwara in Kabul in March 2020, was an ISIS terrorist from Kerala. Another Kerala ISIS leader Abdul Rashid was killed in Afghanistan in 2019. He had planned to kill Hindus during Kumbh Mela and Trissur Pooram in India.