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KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into 15 persons from Kasargod and Wayanad who went to Afghanistan to join the Islamic State (IS) reveals five of them were roommates in Bengaluru since their college days. The agency recently filed a supplementary charge sheet at the NIA Court in Kochi against Nashidul Hamzafar, a native of Mundari in Wayanad, who was deported from Afghanistan last year.
The investigation report claims Nashidul in 2011 joined the BBA course at Dayananda Sagar College in Bengaluru. Shihas, the 14th accused and a native of Kasargod who allegedly left for Afghanistan, was his classmate. Firoz Khan and Bestin alias Yahiya who also left for Afghanistan were BCom students at the same college. Nashidul along with Shihas, Firoz and Bestin lived in a common accommodation near the college. Another accused Manzad, a friend of Firoz Khan, who was working in Bengaluru, also stayed with them. Ashfaq, the 10th accused in the case, used to visit the place and stayed at the room.
After college, some of the accused had visited the house of Nashidul in Wayanad. It was in July 2016, 14 persons from Kasargod moved to Afghanistan and Syria. Nashidul continued to be in touch with persons in Afghanistan through social media, mainly Telegram.
The NIA claims Nashidul started propagating IS ideology since April 2017. In May 2017, he allegedly conducted classes at a house, Salafi Masjid in Kalpetta and used a vehicle at the by-pass road in Kalpetta. During the classes, audio and video clips sent from Afghanistan were shown. Habeeb, another Wayanad native, showed interest in joining the IS.
According to the NIA charge sheet, Nashidul went to Bahrain for employment in May 2017. However, he quit the job and reached Muscat where Habeeb was working on October 3, 2017. After obtaining Iranian tourist visas, both moved to Tehran. After reaching Tehran, they approached the Afghanistan Embassy seeking a tourist visa. However, the Afghan Embassy sought a certificate from the Indian Embassy for clearing their request.
At Tehran, Ashfaq arranged funds through hawala and electronic transfer channel from Afghanistan. From Afghanistan, the direction was given to Nashidul and Habeeb to cross the border through the illegal channel.
However, Habeeb returned to India after his relative was reported sick on October 23, 2017. Nashidul managed to cross the border and reach Kabul, but was caught by the Afghan agency in the last week of October. He was deported on September 18, 2018.Meanwhile, the NIA has filed a petition at the NIA Court in Kochi to tender pardon to Habeeb. His statement was recorded by the magistrate.
Chargesheet
The National Investigation Agency recently filed a supplementary chargesheet at the NIA Court in Kochi against Nashidul Hamzafar, a native of Mundari in Wayanad, who was deported from Afghanistan on September 18, 2018.Nashidul along with Shihas, Firoz and Bestin lived in a common accommodation near the college. Another accused Manzad, a friend of Firoz Khan, who was working in Bengaluru, also stayed with them. Ashfaq, the 10th accused in the case, used to visit the place and stayed at the room
The NIA claims Nashidul started propagating IS ideology since April 2017
