The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made the revelation while filing a charge-sheet against four members of an ISIS module based in Thrissur, Kerala. In order to raise funds for their eventual migration to ISIS-controlled territories, the accused persons conspired and established a module in India with the aim of radicalising and recruiting impressionable youth, said the NIA charge-sheet.
The accused are identified as Mathilakath Kodayil Ashif alias Ashif M K, Seyid Nabeel Ahammed alias Nabeel, Shiyas T.S. alias Shiyas, and Saheer EP alias Saheer Turkey. They have been charged under various sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The four accused were involved in raising funds to promote the agenda of the banned global terror network, said the agency.
As per the NIA, the module also sought to raise funds for promoting the ISIS agenda through crimes, including robberies, based on a distorted interpretation of the ‘Ganimah’, as envisaged in religious texts.
As per NIA investigations, Ashif and Nabeel were members of the erstwhile NDF outfit as well as the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and had committed murders for the PFI, besides participating in its violent agitations. “The duo was initially instigated into violent extremist and Jihadi ideologies through the PFI, followed by activities of the India Fraternity Forum while in Qatar. In Qatar, the two had joined ISIS through other Indian nationals who had migrated earlier and joined ISIS in their controlled territories.”
Ashif and Nabeel recruited Shiyas to the ISIS module and took the oath of allegiance in favour of the ISIS chief, said the agency. “The module was involved in identifying and attempting to recruit impressionable youth to their ISIS module by propagating pro-ISIS literature, videos and other propaganda material, both in person and online.”
NIA had arrested Mathilakath Kodayil Ashif alias Ashif M K, Seyid Nabeel Ahammed alias Nabeel and Shiyas T S alias Shiyas on various dates since registering the case on July 11 last year under various sections of UA(P) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
Subsequently, based on its investigations, the NIA made its fourth arrest in the case on January 9 this year. Saheer E P, alias Saheer Turkey, a resident of Palakkad, Kerala, was arrested by the NIA, which found that he had knowingly and willingly harboured Seyid Nabeel Ahammed, the prime accused Amir of this ISIS module, since July 22 last year. He had supported Seyid despite it being widely publicised through newspapers and media that Seyid Nabeel was involved in terrorist activities.
“Saheer had willfully arranged a hideout in Palakkad for the key accused and also facilitated finance and logistics for him,” added the NIA.
(with inputs from ANI)
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