KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigating activities of the South Indian module of the Islamic State (IS) has found out that the terror group had been receiving funds directly from IS-held territories in Syria.
Details of the transfer of funds were revealed during examination of the money deposited in the accounts of the IS operatives arrested in Kerala recently. According to NIA officials, the terror group had been engaged in fund raising, and had received money from Syria on a few occasions.
“The money was sent through a money exchange agency to the account of Venganallur-native Swalih Mohammad T, which shows that the group was having direct links with the IS leadership based in Raqqa, Syria. We suspect that the money was sent for recruiting new members and purchasing explosives. The fund was channeled through the Gulf countries,” said an NIA official.
Meanwhile, a request by the accused to release the seized debit cards and money to their family members was declined by the NIA, claiming that the source of the funds in the bank accounts was under investigation.
The NIA had arrested five IS operatives on October 2 during a raid conducted at Kanakamala in Kannur. Later, two more persons were arrested. It was found that the group was planning to target judges and politicians in Kerala.