KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team probing the case in which 14 persons from Kasargod purportedly joined the Islamic State (IS), has decided to interrogate a Kalpetta native who was deported from Afghanistan recently. The NIA has approached the Special Court in Kochi seeking the custody of Nashidul Hamzafar, 26, for the second time.
Nashidul, who was deported from Afghanistan in September, was arrested by the NIA from New Delhi. The agency later interrogated him after receiving him in custody for seven days.
“After examining his call details records and probing his stay in Afghanistan, the NIA has now decided to interrogate him further. His arrest was crucial in unravelling the details regarding the Keralites joining IS in Afghanistan. The people associated with him in Kerala will also be interrogated. The NIA has now sought four days’ custody of Nashidul and a petition in this regard has been filed before the NIA court,” sources said.
Another youth hailing from Emily, near Kalpetta, had accompanied Nashidul to Afghanistan. However, after reaching Iran, the Emily native decided to return owing to family reasons. Nashidul and his friend have been arraigned the 16th and 17th accused in the case related to the migration of 14 persons from Kasargod to Nangarhar in Afghanistan.
The NIA investigation found there was frequent communication between Nashidul and Bestin alias Yahiya of Palakkad, who joined IS in Afghanistan. Following the arrest, the NIA had recovered a mobile phone, $450 and 1,260 Afghani from Nashidul. Several Jihadi books were also retrieved from his email account. His mobile phone was examined by CDAC.
In 2016, as many as 14 men and women travelled to Iran via Afghanistan for joining the IS. A Bihar native who attempted to join the group was intercepted by the police in New Delhi. She was later convicted by the court. The Interpol has issued red corner notice against these accused persons. Many of them are said to be staying in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, while some are suspected to be killed in the air-strike by the US-led collision.
14 persons
From Kasargod purportedly joined the Islamic State (IS). In 2016, they travelled to Iran via Afghanistan for joining the IS.
During the probe, NIA had recovered a mobile phone, $450 and 1,260 and several Jihadi books from the accused