KOCHI: The IS module at Kanakamala in Kannur district, busted last year, is apparently far from finished, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) finding several persons linked with the module still subscribing to the IS ideology via online platforms. In the latest development, the NIA intercepted three youths - two hailing from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and one from Alappuzha - who were in touch with the IS module busted at Kanakamala and the 23-member group, which had left for Afghanistan last year.
The NIA team from Kochi had on Thursday interrogated Abdul Rahman, of Ukkadam, and S Abdullah, of Karumbukadai, at the Coimbatore Police Commissioner’s office. Basil Shihab, 25, a native of Kidangamparambu in Alappuzha, was grilled at the Alappuzha SP office.Basil Shihab is working at a computer shop at Vyttila and Abdul Rahman, who has a master’s in computer science, is unemployed. Abdullah runs an internet cafe at Ukkadam, Coimbatore.
The trio were served with a notice to appear before the NIA office in Kochi on Friday for further interrogation. Based on this, Basil appeared before the NIA officers in Kochi and was quizzed by the sleuths till late night. Abdullah and Abdul Rahman also appeared before the NIA team in Kochi and the interrogation will continue on Saturday.
Besides, two more persons from Coimbatore and another from Tiruppur were questioned at the Coimbatore Police Commissioner’s office on Friday. “These persons were also part of the group formed by Shajeer Mangalassery alias Abu Ayisha, who was reportedly killed in Afghanistan. They were members of the WhatsApp and Telegram groups, through which Shajeer coordinated their activities. These persons were operating online using fake names. They were continuing with the IS activities even after the module was busted in October last year,” an NIA officer said.
One of the suspects from Coimbatore had been maintaining contacts with Abdul Rashid, who along with 23 Keralities had left for Afghanistan last year. “We are interrogating them to ascertain the facts. As of now, none of them has been arraigned accused or has been arrested,” the officer said
The NIA has decided to carry out the forensic examination of the mobile phones and laptops recovered from the suspects. “We will quiz them till all facts are clearly ascertained. For this, we will have to obtain information from the seized mobile phones and laptops with the help of forensic experts. If crucial evidence is unearthed, we will record their arrest,” the officer said.
The NIA teams are also stationed in Coimbatore and Tiruppur as part of the investigation.
In the raids conducted at the residences of these persons on Thursday, the NIA had recovered around 80 compact discs, three mobile phones, and laptops. The majority of CDs contained recordings of the speeches made by controversial religious leader Zakir Naik. “These persons were following the IS ideology for over a year,” the officer said.