KOCHI: In a major revelation, one among those who was arrested for "joining and supporting the activities" of global terror outfit Islamic State (IS) has told National Investigation Agency (NIA) that he was taken to Mosul in Iraq, where he underwent detailed course in Shariya followed by combat training for more than five months.
The disclosure was made by Subhani Haja Moideen, a native of Thodupuzha in Kerala and a resident of Kadayanallur in Tiruvelveli, Tamil Nadu. The arrest of the 31-year-old was recorded on Thursday and produced before the NIA special court here. NIA, in a release said, Subhani was paid $100 per month as subsistence allowed by IS along with common available accommodation and food without any additional charges. He was radicalized and recruited to IS by recruiters active over online social media platforms, NIA said. Subhani had left his home on April 8, 2015 on a visiting visa, telling his parents and wife that he is going to perform Umrah, from Chennai.
After reaching Istanbul in Turkey, he had crossed over along with others including people from Pakistan and Afganistan to IS held territory in Iraq. On completion of combat training including training in automated weapons, he was sent to the war zone in Mosul for security duties in IS held territory which he performed for almost two weeks. Subhani had decided to leave the organization as he could not withstand the violence and war misery in Mosul especially after a shell attack which charred two of his friends alive before him.
When he informed his decision to quit the organization he was imprisoned by IS at Mosul and was subjected to extreme torture according to the revelation. He, along with other similar foreign fighters who decided to desert, were produced before a judge of the IS, following which he was again imprisoned at Raqqa in Syria. Later, he was allowed to leave IS-controlled territory and return back to Turkey along with five other foreign nationals.
The reasons for this decision is yet to be ascertained, said NIA. Subhani stayed illegally in Istanbul for about two weeks. Then he approached the Indian Consulate for returning to India and contacted his family and conveyed his decision to return to India. His family sent him money for flight tickets. After getting a clearance certificate to him from Turkish Police, Indian Consulate issued an Emergency Certificate. Thus, he returned to Mumbai on September 22, 2015, said NIA.
However, once in Kadayanallur where started his job as a salesman in a jewellery shop, Subhani got in touch with IS handlers again over internet. He was planning to collect explosives and precursor chemicals from Sivakasi at their instance. He had travelled to Chennai,Coimbatore and other places to meet other local contacts in the conspiracy, collect money and procure explosives or precursor chemicals, for terrorist acts, as guided and motivated by IS.
Earlier, six men were arrested earlier for their links with the international terror outfit on Sunday while they were in in a hilltop in Kannur district, North Kerala. They were allegedly plotting attacks on key figures and public places, gathering explosives and other material to mount attacks in southern India during Diwali later this month.