KOCHI:An Islamic State (IS) sympathiser, who was deported from Afghanistan, was taken to Wayanad as part of evidence collection by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).Last week, the NIA arrested Kalpetta native Nashidul Hamzafar from New Delhi airport after he was deported. He is the 16th accused in the IS Kasargod case in which 14 persons migrated to IS-controlled areas in Afghanistan. He has been remanded in NIA custody till September 29.
“As part of evidence collection, Nashidul was taken to Kalpetta, his hometown. We are interrogating him to gain information about the group and his handlers,” said NIA sources.Hamzafar left India on October 3, 2017, along with his friend to join the IS in Afghanistan. He travelled to Oman, Iran and Afghanistan before being detained by the Afghan police. His friend returned home after reaching Iran.
Following a request from India, Hamzafar was deported last week.The NIA team discovered that Hamzafar was in touch with IS operatives from Kerala who are currently in Afghanistan. He was radicalised through social media.
Around 25 Malayalis, including women and children, have migrated to IS territories in Afghanistan since 2016. Some of them were killed. Similarly, a number of families from North Kerala also migrated to Syria to work for the IS.