CHENNAI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested the alleged absconding chief of ISIS Thrissur module, Siyed Nabeel Ahammed, in Chennai and foiled his plans to flee the country.
Nabeel Ahammed was apprehended by the agency’s fugitive tracking team that has been working on the ground for the past few weeks to nab him, a spokesperson of the federal agency said. The official said the accused had planned to escape from India by using forged and fraudulent documents using Nepal as a transit point. Ahammed was allegedly on the run and had been hiding at different locations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for the past several weeks.
"Incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from Ahammed. He is the third accused to be arrested since July in the case registered by the Kochi NIA," a press statement from the NIA issued on Wednesday said.
ISIS conducting recces for illegal activities in Tamil Nadu says NIA
In July this year, NIA tracked and arrested one Ashif alias Mathilakath Kodayil Ashraf from his hideout near Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu. The NIA registered a case on July 11 saying that a Thrissur-based ISIS module has been conducting recces for carrying out illegal activities, including dacoities, in Tamil Nadu, to raise funds for furthering ISIS activities, the press note said.
ISIS has allegedly intensified its activities in India by creating modules in various states. The NIA has been cracking down on these modules and has arrested several IS members operating across states, the release said.