KOCHI: Even as National Investigation Agency (NIA) is scouting various places in southern states to unearth Islamic State (IS) modules which have been devising schemes to strengthen activities, intelligence agencies have warned that a few feeder organisations of IS have been organising small group meetings called ‘Anti-Shirk’ to propagate IS ideology which is against all forms of polytheism.
“We have specific inputs that smaller units of the feeder organisations have been conducting regular anti-shirk meetings among local residents to ensure that they follow IS-propagated way of worship and life. Through these meetings, the modules aim to stay alive among the youth and attract them more to its fold. We have prepared a detailed report on the anti-shirk meetings being conducted by the feeder organisations,” said a senior central intelligence officer.
The NIA, which has been conducting series of raids at various places in Tamil Nadu following Easter day blasts in Sri Lanka, has collected details about the visit of leaders of a few Tamil Nadu based fundamentalist organisations to Sri Lanka between 2015 and 2018.
“Anti-Shirk propagators are against certain popular practices being observed in Islam in southern states. In Sri Lanka too, there have been large scale anti-shirk movement pushed by Sri Lanka Tawheed Jamaat,” said a senior intelligence officer of Kerala Police. Agencies have collected the details of a massive conference organised by an Islamic group on January 31, 2016 at Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has come out with a detailed report on the conference quoting a Urdu daily which published a detailed news report on the discussions that took place and the meetings addressed by scholars in the conference. As per MEMRI report, the conference focused on promoting monotheism and stood against polytheism in all its forms practised by Islam believers.
“In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, these anti-shirk movement has gained much traction and we are keeping a close tab on the activities of the feeder organisations,” the officer said they have also flagged social media accounts of a few groups and individuals in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
NIA grills more persons linked with Coimbatore IS module
Kochi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is quizzing more persons who are suspected to be linked with the Islamic State (IS)-affiliated module busted in Coimbatore recently. According to sources, eight persons including regular members of the module were interrogated by the agency after summoning them to its office in Kochi. Recently, the NIA arrested two persons - Mohammed Azarudheen and Sheik Hidayathullah - both from Coimbatore.
The NIA Court on Monday granted the NIA their custody till Saturday. “More persons who are suspected to be the members of the module are being interrogated. Most of them are from various parts of Tamil Nadu, including Coimbatore, Madurai and Chennai. Two persons who were arraigned as accused have been stationed in Kochi while one has returned due to family reasons. More persons would be summoned for interrogation in the coming days,” sources said. on May 30, the NIA registered a case after it received a tip-off about an IS module which actively followed Sri Lanka Easter attack mastermind Zahran Hashim.
The persons arraigned as accused are Mohammed Azarudheen of Coimbatore; Azharuddin T of Nanjundapuram, Podanur; Sheik Hidayathullah, Alameen Colony, South Ukkadam; Aboobacker M of Kuniamuthur; Sadham Hussain of Aasath Nagar, Karimbukadai; and Ibrahim Shahin of Mania Thottam. Earlier, the NIA had arrested a Palakkad native, Riyas Aboobacker, who had also been following Zahran Hashim and who wanted to conduct a suicide attack. Riyas is currently lodged at Ernakulam Sub Jail. The NIA found that Riyas was a close friend of Ibrahim Shahin who was an IS sympathiser.
Agencies have collected details of a massive conference organised by an Islamic group on January 31, 2016 at Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu. The conference focused on promoting monotheism and discouraging polytheism in all its forms