NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Monday arrested suspected ISIS operative Shakul Hameed in Chennai in a case relating to radicalisation and furthering the activities of the proscribed outfit.The case was registered suo motu at NIA Police Station, New Delhi, on January 26 this year under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and appropriate sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against nine persons, including Hameed.
“The accused persons and their associates, with the intention of furthering the activities of the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/ Daesh, had hatched a criminal conspiracy from 2013 onwards and formed a terrorist gang which had raised and received funds, organized meetings, recruited and facilitated the travel of some persons to Syria to join the ISIS/ Daesh,” the NIA said in a statement.Investigation in the case revealed that the main accused Haja Fakkurudeen, a Singapore citizen of Indian origin and native of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu, has joined ISIS/ Daesh in Syria during January 2014, along with his family.
Fakkurudeen had visited India twice between November 2013 and January 2014, when he had conducted conspiracy meetings along with co-accused Khaja Moideen, Shakul Hameed and others at various places in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with the intention of recruiting more persons into ISIS/ Daesh, the NIA said.
“In pursuance of the conspiracy, Shakul Hameed had attempted to migrate to ISIS/ Daesh-controlled territory in Syria during August 2015, through Turkey, where he was intercepted by Turkish authorities and deported back to India,” the agency said.
Hameed will be produced before the NIA special court in Chennai seeking his remand, the statement said.
On September 15, accused Khaja Moideen alias Abdullah Muthalif, son of Chinna Thambi Ambalam of Salapathputhu Nagar in Cuddalore district who was in judicial custody in another case, was remanded in this case by the NIA special court in Chennai. The custody of Moideen was sought by the chief investigation officer of he ISIS case in Delhi, the statement added.