BENGALURU/MANGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with state police units on Wednesday conducted simultaneous searches at five locations, including three in Kashmir and one each in Bengaluru and Mangaluru, and arrested four accused in connection with investigation into the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) recruitment case (RC-05/2021/NIA/DLI.)The NIA team also raided the house of former MLA BM Idinabba’s son, BM Pasha, in Ullal near Mangaluru, allegedly because one of his family members is suspected to have had links with the terror organisation, ISIS.
“The NIA arrested Obaid Hamid and Muzammil Hassan Bhat from Kashmir, Ammar Abdul Rahman from Mangaluru and Shankar Venkatesh Perumal, alias Ali Muaviya, from Bengaluru for allegedly raising funds, radicalising and motivating more people to join ISIS,” said the NIA spokesperson.
On March 5 this year, the agency had registered a suo motu case against seven known and other unknown accused persons under Sections 120B, 121 & 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) & Sections 17, 18, 188, 20, 38 & 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, pertaining to terrorist activities of one Mohammed Ameen, alias Abu Yahya, from Kerala and his associates. They were running various ISIS propaganda channels on social media platforms such as Telegram, Hoop and Instagram, propagating violent jihadi ideology, radicalising and recruiting new members for the banned terrorist organisation.
Subsequently, in the same month, NIA had conducted searches and arrested three accused -- Mohd Ameen, Dr Rahees Rasheed and Mus’Hab Anwar -- in the case.“During investigation, it was revealed that after the decline of the ISIS Caliphate in Syria/Iraq, Ameen had visited Kashmir in March 2020 for Hijrah (religious migration) and engaging in terrorist activities. He had also raised funds in association with Kashmir-based accused Mohammad Waqar Lone, alias Wilson Kashmiri, and his associates,” said the Central agency.
“As part of the conspiracy, funds were also transferred to Waqar Lone by the accused through banking channels and digital payment on the directions of Ameen,” the NIA stated.
FAMILY HAD SUBSCRIBED TO YOUTUBE CHANNELS ON ISIS
NIA sleuths conducted a raid on former MLA BM Idinabba’s son B M Pasha’s house in Ullal, near Mangaluru, in the early hours of Wednesday. A team of 25 NIA personnel was led by an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police from Bengaluru.
They alleged that Pasha’s family members had sympathised and subscribed to YouTube channels related to ISIS. Pasha runs a real estate business and both his sons live abroad. Former MLA Idinabba passed away in April 2009. Meanwhile, Mangaluru DCP (Law and Order) Hariram Shankar told TNIE that the NIA team is interrogating a suspect.